Fe Desplazada
by Kay Kylo
Summary: Rated for violence. AU war story. The missing son of a lord of Perdition has been found- by the king of Perdition's enemy, Loquacity. The boy has no knowledge of who he is, and he has power exceeding that of the Perdition powerhouse- Duo.
1. Beginning Records

YAY!!! I have finally posted the very first chapter (ahem, prologue) of Fe Desplazada! Confetti and party hats to all!  
  
To tell everyone the truth, this was actually written a good four months after the rest of the story was finished, but I thought that I should write this to make the rest of the story understandable.  
  
I read over everything a million or so times, and I thought that it would be best if I write something more to explain a few more things, that I hope will answer questions I found brought up by the rest of the story.  
  
So, Duo is six and (I'm keeping it a surprise) the other character in here is about five. Keep in mind, that Duo is six years older than the other character. So, where Duo is six, the character is just about born, and when the other character comes in, Duo is around eleven, okay? And Wufei, though it says, is fifteen, and he's the same age as Duo.  
  
Everything else will be explained with the rest of the story.  
  
****Very important note: If ever you find something that is OOC that is not in quotes, that is me. My prose (anything not quotes or stats) is me speaking, reading their mind and telling you what's going on. So, please do not complain about OOC unless it is quotes. Then, if it is in quotes, please consider if it is reasonable considering that this is AU and the character has a different background, as some of a person comes from environment. If it is still OOC, tell me. THANKS!!!!!!  
  
Shoutouts to those who reviewed my last chapter of Under the Bed:  
  
Misaki: Thanks for the praise!! ^_^ I took your advice, and look where it got me!!! Another fic up right after!!!! This one is AU, though. Hope you enjoy it!!  
  
Kasazona: Don't be ashamed. It's okay to miss a few!! ^_^ I'm in a good mood. Can you tell? I've got a million different projects to work on for school, and I'm not bothering to do any of them!! So, good luck with the challenge I sent you. Have fun with it!!! Oh, you're so lucky!! You have only two to bother you!!! (Pout) I've got four, but Kay counts as fifty, in a way. At least he's not biting my head off anymore for putting dye in his shampoo. . . Glad you liked my story!!! AND GUESS WHAT!!! I'm going to be back for a good long time!!! Total, this story should have fourteen chapters. This counts as one.  
  
So, enjoy the prologue to Fe Desplazada, Beginning Records.  
  
DO NOT OWN GUNDAM WING  
  
Enjoy.  
  
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[A Dios le pido]  
  
[Que si me muero sea de amor]  
  
[Y si me enamoro sea de vos]  
  
[Y que de tu voz sea este corazón]  
  
[Todos las dias]  
  
/I ask God\  
  
/That if I die, let it be for love\  
  
/And if I love, let it be you\  
  
/And that your voice is in this heart\  
  
/All the days\ ~By Juanes  
  
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1081 Beginning Records, Governor's City in Perdition  
  
Helen's door slammed open, and she looked up in fear. The messenger smiled, and she was eased. "He's here, Helen!" She leapt to her feet, excited, following him at a run. A short while ago, she had received news that a Potential was being sent to her to train. What was most exciting was that the Potential was the nephew of the Northern Desert Lord. He was of a bloodline so ancient it was believed that it could have been the most royal of any bloodline.  
  
Helen slid to a stop outside the main hall doors, trying to slow her breathing and cool her flushed face. She reached for the door, and pushed.  
  
The Great Hall of the Fortress of Perdition was revealed in all its splendor, but her eyes found more interest in a young woman and a little boy. Both were bronzed and both had long, dark hair. Yet while the mother had bright, dancing eyes of blue, her son had rich violet eyes.  
  
"You must be 'Elen," the woman said quietly, her Trader accent the only way to tell by voice that she was a foreigner.  
  
"Milady," Helen answered, and she squatted to look the boy in the eye. "This must be my new student." He stared back at her, his eyes holding slight comprehension. He must know some of the language. The little boy clung to his mother's hand, but he was not hiding behind her. He stared back at her, his eyes wide and ready to learn.  
  
"Yes. This is Duo."  
  
Helen reached out her hand in a Trader greeting, adding words of his native tongue. "Welcome Duo," she said in the Trader tongue. "I am Helen, your teacher."  
  
Duo liked her. He returned the greeting, smiling a little bit. His mother had told him what coming here would mean, but he was willing for that to happen. But that was not why he liked her. She, unlike most adults, did not stand and talk to him. She came down to him to talk, and did not treat him as a child by speaking little words. There was one thing she could work on, though. He could tell the moment she opened her mouth.  
  
"Your accent is terrible," he commented in his tongue, and his teacher began to laugh. That was another good thing. She did not take his comments as insults.  
  
"So it is, Duo. Would it please you to help me with my accent?" Duo smiled, nodding vigorously. One more plus: she was willing to accept a child's help.  
  
"Will you train him right away?" the Trader mother asked in the common tongue, and Helen rose to speak to her.  
  
"No," Helen admitted. "There are more important things before we train for enchanter power, such as language, customs, and our clothing. Some herbals, too, if he needs it."  
  
"We make a point to teach our children as much herbals as possible."  
  
"I do not doubt so." The mother still looked nervous though, hiding behind a façade of strength. Helen smiled softly and touched her arm, knowing it meant so much more than a casual touch in the Trader culture. "To the best of my ability, I will protect your son and train him to the best of his ability." This eased the mother, and she kneeled down to gather her child to her chest in a hug.  
  
"Moma's going to leave now, okay?" The mother kissed her little son on the cheek, and he hugged his small arms around her neck. "Be a good boy," she commanded, and she held him tight.  
  
"Yes, Moma. I promise. Bye." The woman placed the boy down, and, without looking back, left the room. Slowly, Duo walked to Helen and wrapped his arms around her leg. "I miss Moma already."  
  
Helen had no answer for that, so she simply took his hand as he extended it up for a comforting hold. "Would you like to begin learning my language or would you like to help me with my pronunciation?"  
  
"Pronunciation," the child answered firmly. "Yours is really bad. First of all, the written 'h' is silent." The boy continued as he listed everything wrong with her spoken tongue, and she simply shook her head.  
  
It would be hard for both child and mother, but both were strong. They could do it.  
  
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1086 Beginning Records, King's City in Loquacity  
  
Mute lay still, his arms behind his head as a frayed blanket covered his slight body. It was there again, simply watching him. 'You're back.'  
  
It stirred in his mind. 'Who are you?'  
  
'Who are you?' Mute countered, angry. 'You are intruding my mind.'  
  
'Who are you?'  
  
'I am imagining you.'  
  
The answer was firm. 'No. Who are you?'  
  
Mute looked around his sleeping space, dozens of little thieves crowding each other for warmth. He was different from all of them. 'Who am I? I doubt I know the answer.'  
  
'What is your name?'  
  
'Name? I have no name.'  
  
'What are you called? That is your name.'  
  
Mute almost sighed audibly. 'What I am called has no significance to me. I have no name; I am no one. At least, he told me so.'  
  
'Who is he?'  
  
'The leader of the thief gang.'  
  
'What is his name?'  
  
'He never tells.'  
  
'You have no name?'  
  
'No.'  
  
'Where do you live?'  
  
'On the streets.'  
  
'What city?'  
  
'Does it matter? It changes nothing of my situation.' Mute pushed as much bitterness as possible into his thoughts, but that did not chase it off.  
  
'I could change it.'  
  
'No. You could not.'  
  
There was a pause from his vehement response, and he dared to hope it had left. 'What are you called?'  
  
'Mute.'  
  
'You cannot speak?'  
  
'I can speak.'  
  
'You speak without words.'  
  
'No.'  
  
'You speak without using your mouth.'  
  
Hesitantly, he answered. 'True.'  
  
'What city?'  
  
'Why do you wish to know?'  
  
'I want to take you off the streets.'  
  
'You cannot take me to the dungeon! I will break out, as always!' Sure, that might have been a lie, but how could this thing know that?  
  
'I will not put you in a dungeon.'  
  
'You lie.'  
  
'I wish to train you.'  
  
Mute hesitated before answering. 'Train?'  
  
'You are powerful. I want to help you.'  
  
'You are tricking me!'  
  
'I never trick. Get some sleep, No-name Mute. I will be back.'  
  
Mute waited. He never was back.  
  
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Leader shoved Mute, and his raw back slammed into the stone wall. "By the river and sand, Mute! You ruined it again! You are pathetic; a no-name peasant like you cannot do anything right!" Leader spat, before he moved close, shoving his face into Mute's small one. "Remember, Mute, since you have no talent, you are no one. And that goes for that lack of name, too!"  
  
The thief gang filtered away, leaving Mute to cry silent tears. He had no name. He was alone. Everyone else had a name, even Leader, though his he kept hidden, like a treasure no one could see. But Mute had no name. He had no mother to name him, and no woman could understand his hand signs that asked for a name.  
  
'Who are you?'  
  
Mute sighed, tears fading. Months had passed since that voice had stopped speaking. He was no fool, though. Rumors were abroad of the massacre of the Enchanters by the king in southern Loquacity. It had been an enchanter that had been talking to him. He had taken his promises to the grave.  
  
A baby wailed nearby, making Mute jump. A soft feminine voice sounded, and Mute felt envy fill his mind. He had never been cuddled as a baby. He had never been given that gift. Or if he had been, he no longer remembered it. All of the soft caresses of a mother were lost in the sea of hurtful slaps the thieves gave out to him.  
  
"Hush little baby, don't you cry," the mother crooned softly, and Mute paused. Her voice was nice enough, but she wavered too much over the note to make her voice beautiful. "Moma's going to sing a lullaby. A sweet bird Moma's gonna buy, to sing to you when night is nigh."  
  
Mute froze his analytical mind, listening as a voice, much like the Enchanter's had, rose in his mind. It too was feminine, singing softly. It was his mother. He simply knew that it was. There was no questioning of it. Two voices, one mental and one physical, sang a soft duet. "The bird will sing to you a verse, for your little heart to nurse."  
  
A baby wail cut through his mind, the rest of the physical mother's song lost from his ears. "Oh, my little baby, hush little Quatre," his mother's voice sang, crooning softly as a soft caress of loving adoration calmed his baby wail.  
  
Mute pulled the name from the memory and stored it deep in his mind. No one, not even Leader, would know his name, but he had it now. He had a name. His talent would come later, but he had a name.  
  
'Who are you?' the ghostly voice of the enchanter whispered to his mind, calling from death. Mute closed his eyes and calmly answered him.  
  
'I am Quatre.'  
  
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1090 Beginning Records, Front Line in the first battle of Perdition Freedom  
  
Wufei cried out, the sword point digging into his ankle sharply. He immediately attacked the warrior that had stabbed him, killing the warrior instantly. Sharp pain digging into his mind as well as body, he crawled out of the battle fray.  
  
Fifteen might be just a few years too young to go to war. The boy rubbed some sweat from his brow as he pulled himself to a dead tree trunk within the reach of the battleground. Within this relative safety, he could examine his wound.  
  
The sword had not bitten deep. Blood was already starting to congeal around the outside of the wound, and the blood was not flowing in a large amount. Wufei gripped his shirtsleeve, the issued uniform for all the warriors under the king of Loquacity, and ripped. The sleeve came off nicely; it was poorly made and of thin material. Wincing some because he moved, he wrapped the cloth around his leg, tightening it to the point it almost cut off his circulation.  
  
With that done, he breathed easier. This way, he could let his blood return to his head. That would be nice. He leaned back against the trunk of the dead tree, for some reason interested in the curving, writhing branches of the tree as men died around him. The black lines were contrasted strangely around the gray sky, and Wufei felt his eyes protest at the way the sky flattened the view above him.  
  
A scream jolted him from his mind, and he eased himself to look around the trunk. On the front for Perdition was a young man, unarmed, his robes flowing gently around him, as if Lady Wind were plucking at them. The soldiers around him seemed to gain strength, and in fear, the Loquacity warriors strained to get to that man.  
  
Wufei squinted. The young man at the front was no more than his age! This was only a teen that was staring down the entire Loquacity army. A soldier came near him suddenly, and the teen snapped his fingers.  
  
The soldier fell down dead.  
  
The teen then started to glow; Wufei could see that much, and he knew instantly why this boy had no fear of the soldiers. The teen was an enchanter.  
  
The long braid behind the teen swayed in the growing power, and suddenly, the power disappeared. Half of the Loquacity army fell instantly. Wufei felt fear race through his body; he might be the only survivor of this fight. Crawling away slowly, the Loquacity teen fought his pained body and lowered blood, intent on getting to the city of Loquacity king.  
  
Someone would have to tell what happened to the finest force Loquacity had ever assembled. And, judging by the short time it had taken for the enchanter to warm up, he would be the only one to ever tell it.  
  
Screams sounded behind him, and Wufei ran, hardly able to look where he went. More men had been destroyed, crushed, by the enchanter. Perdition had an enchanter; Loquacity had none.  
  
Loquacity was doomed.  
  
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In 1090 Beginning Records, the war of the Freedom of Perdition began. In 1091, Perdition was freed. . .  
  
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So, there you go.  
  
**SMALL NOTE: Moma is their term for Mama, and Papi is their term for Papa. Okay?  
  
I thought I ought to explain the geography of these lands. These two lands, Perdition and Loquacity, are bordered to the south by the sea. Perdition is to the west, and bordered on the west by the Deserts, but that's not important. Loquacity is to the east, and Loquacity is the ruling country at this time. A river cuts between them, and the river is very special to the Desert Traders, of whose bloodline Duo is. To the east of Loquacity is more Deserts.  
  
North of both countries are the Deserts, lorded by the Desert Traders.  
  
Perdition and Loquacity are two sides of an empire at this time during the story. There is, at this time, a king that houses in Loquacity, and a governor of Perdition. At the time of this prologue, the king and the governor are nephew and uncle respectively. Six years later, the uncle breaks Perdition from Loquacity, and they are separate countries. The uncle promptly dies, and the two ruling leaders are cousins, but few know that.  
  
Okay, to make things simpler. This prologue is in 1081, 1086, and 1090 respectively of their reckoning. Chapter one starts six years later, in 1096. The countries split in 1091. Does this make any sense? It's just background for the next chapter.  
  
More info about characters people may not know, their real histories in the manga, etc.  
  
Helen: Catholic nun that took in Duo along with Father Maxwell. She along with the Father were killed in an attack on the church. Duo got into trouble for her sake, trying to steal a "mobile suit", in fact taking a truck. (He's so cute at seven, eight)  
  
Odin: Assassin who killed the real Heero Yuy, and he tutored Heero in all he knows, almost. Not much is known besides that. Killed by Dekim Barton, all in a revenge act for killing the real Yuy.  
  
Middie Une: Girl that Trowa met during his time as a soldier with the mercenaries. She turned out to be a spy, and she had been tracking his movements, along with the mercenary movements. Trowa found out after all the mercenaries were dead, and got really mad. Middie, though she never said it aloud, loved Trowa. Trowa nearly killed her before simply leaving. She only knew him as No-name. Connection to Lady Une: unknown by even the writers.  
  
Rasid: Just in case, taught Quatre to respect himself. Quatre thought low of himself because he thought he was a test tube baby, and only his father and oldest sister knew he wasn't, but he was never told. Rasid was born of a test tube, and taught Quatre to respect himself because of that. Leader of Maganacs.  
  
Nataku (Meilan): Wufei's wife in the series. In all actuality, they never did marry; she did not accept him as husband before she died while saving his life. Meilan is her real name; Nataku is her nickname. Nataku is a mythological being made of human blood and something else, can't remember what. But Nataku is a hero of Chinese mythology, and Meilan was the strongest of her clan. (Shrug)  
  
Milliardo: Explained later on, but that's Zechs' real name. YAY!! Job done.  
  
Do I really need to do a teaser?  
  
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The three traitorous men turned in horror to a dark corner, trying to hide the packets in their cloaks. A sharp snap of fingers and one man fell, clutching at his throat. A young man sauntered out of the dark, his long braid swinging. "Did you not know that treason is dangerous for your health?" he asked the dying man, chuckling lightly. "So, who wants to tell the king of what you were doing?"  
  
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So, review for me!! OR ELSE THE SHARKS WILL GET YOU!!!!! (Shrug.) I need something good to get people to review, right?  
  
~Kay Kylo 


	2. Plot Discovered

Here goes CHAPTER ONE: PLOT DISCOVERED.  
  
Lots of long notes at the very front, but they're important!  
  
Do not own Gundam Wing, which the characters are from. Honestly, I MIGHT be good, but not THAT good.  
  
*** VERY IMPORTANT *** Notes: (There's a lot of them, but this is the only place you'll see them.)  
  
* Slightly OOC. I've tried my best to put them in their truest forms, but remember, their history is different, as is their relation to other characters.  
  
* Quatre-centric. I love the poor guy. ^_^; He's just so darn adorable. Poor kid thinks he's a test tube babe and therefore is no good. But if he were to know the truth, it would be even worse. Poor kid. (Hugs Quatre doll) He's kawaii too! Whatever to Heero and Trowa and Duo! Quatre's my guy! (Blush) I did try to get away from him at times, okay?  
  
* Non-yaoi. Deal with it. I don't care if you leave now. It's just this is my best ever, and I'm not going to change it all for your little wishes. It's my best, so take it or leave it. (Oooh kay, little sharp there. . .) ***Okay, let me explain. If you wish to imply yaoi, have fun, but I did not purposely write anything in this to suggest it.  
  
* This is supposed to be written like a story, but taken from history books. So, several times, I might mention "well-known" to an incident or "as in the history books" about some event. That means simply that in my imaginary world, the history goes like that. It's a romanticized history, in other words. And romanticized does not refer to love. Check a world history book for more information about that stuff.  
  
* I've used my one and only manga in this: Episode Zero. So I've tried to use every darn spankin' character in there and any one else. Okay, I've missed, according to my count, only Noin, but there's no where else to put her, so she's just not in it. (**)There are only two characters not in the series, and they are Lord Une and Moriko. They don't play a large part, so don't worry about it at all. Be warned, some characters don't show up until much later and don't say anything. But they're there.  
  
** I found a place to put Noin! Be warned, she's out of character and says, I believe, two lines, but she's there! **  
  
*** Other people I forgot: Some Barton family and stuff people. Dekim and such are not there. Not important enough.  
  
Kay says that's enough blabber, so here goes nothing!  
  
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[Ni me gusta ni me disgusta]  
  
[Me es indiferente, me da igual]  
  
[Intenta convencerme, inclina la balanza]  
  
[Y haremos algo personal]  
  
/Neither pleases me nor displeases me\  
  
/I'm indifferent, it's all the same to me\  
  
/Try to convince me, incline the balance\  
  
/And we'll make it something personal\ ~Ella Baila Sola (She Dances Alone) __________________________________________________________________  
  
1096 Beginning Records, King's City in Loquacity  
  
Wufei Chang was not a pleasant man in the mornings. But that did not mean that he could sleep while his king was getting ready for the day, meaning he was unable to protect himself.  
  
Allowing himself to yawn, Wufei shuffled down the hall before he glanced out the window. The dawn was starting, warming the earth with a soft glow before the heavy, desert sun would burn the earth and all that worked it. The only source of water in this dry area was the river, which supplied the barren earth with the moisture needed to grow food.  
  
How the ancient ones managed to build on the soggy ground was still a mystery, but the ancestors of this land somehow made the castle, defended it, built up a city, and supplied it with protection as the people learned to farm it. Mathematicians soon became important as they divided up the land, built aqueducts, and generally made life easy. Farmers grew grains, fruits, and other foods as shipwrights and sailors learned the river's waters, and soon soldiers were sent to conquer lands up river, until meats, exotic spices, animals, slaves, and other luxuries were pouring into the city. An empire was established, and then, it was this era. This era, when another rival empire started and opened up trade with theirs, but at a price.  
  
Names were placed to the countries. Loquacity was this empire. Perdition was the rival empire. Perdition was led by a king named Darlian. Wufei did not know much of him. Only that he was the enemy, and that his king had been first.  
  
He stopped at his king's door and waited as the rich king busied himself with how he would appear to his people today. This was the day he would come out, as he did once every year, to remind his people that he was king, and that he was rich, and that he had the power to kill them all in a blink.  
  
Or, he would if he could find an enchanter. As it was, His Kingship could not find an empowered person in all of his country. Maybe that was another reason why he went out. To search out an enchanter. There were rumors of enchanted people among the common rabble. Maybe a farmer would be desperate enough to sell his son away.  
  
Wufei jumped and bowed on instinct as he heard the door open. His king stepped out, his hair flawless, his clothing rich and yet perfect for war if necessary. Wufei kept his head down as his king walked away without a word and then Wufei moved after him.  
  
"Today is the day, Chang."  
  
Wufei nodded. "It is. Will you bring the Princess?"  
  
The king thought for a moment. "Yes. She needs to see her people."  
  
"And they need to see her."  
  
"It would blind them."  
  
"As would you."  
  
The king smirked and turned to look at Wufei. "I am pleased with you, Chang. You will be a fine guard for when my daughter becomes ruler." Wufei bowed again.  
  
"I am pleased to serve you, My King Treize."  
  
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1096 Beginning Records, King's City in Perdition  
  
"So, we kill him with some poison?"  
  
"Yes. Then the throne will be open for his son to step up. And you know how his son is."  
  
"Of course. Milliardo is . . . pleasant with Loquacity. The marriage will be perfect."  
  
"Is not Milliardo too old for the girl?"  
  
"Never is there a point too young. Especially for uniting two kingdoms."  
  
The three men nodded their agreement and dug into their cloaks. "I have the powder," one man whispered, handing it to the middle man. "One packet in his goblet will kill him by nightfall."  
  
"Is this treason?" one younger man asked worriedly.  
  
"Of course, but we will be richly rewarded. His Kingship Treize will reward us for putting Milliardo on the throne."  
  
"But his sister will be suspicious."  
  
"Of course. But she cannot prove it. No one will ever be able to prove it."  
  
"I doubt that."  
  
The three men turned in horror to a dark corner, trying to hide the packets in their cloaks. A sharp snap of fingers and one man fell, clutching at his throat. A young man sauntered out of the dark, his long braid swinging. "Did you not know that treason is dangerous for your health?" he asked the dying man, chuckling lightly. "So, who wants to tell the king of what you were doing?"  
  
The young man jumped forward and fell on his knees before the enchanter. "Please, spare me!"  
  
The remaining man snarled and spat at the floor. "Never will I admit to this! You have killed my man, and now accuse me of treason?" The enchanter frowned and stepped forward, his finger outstretched accusingly.  
  
"I can make you prove you yourself constructed this."  
  
"I did no such thing. Lies. Lies are all you have."  
  
The enchanter snarled and his finger touched the man's forehead. "Then you have nothing to fear from a little truth spell, do you?" The man stepped back and the enchanter snapped his fingers. The sound seemed to throw itself into his forehead and dig deep, indenting his skull.  
  
His eyes rolled into his head and he fell over.  
  
The young man was frozen in fear. "Please, don't kill me!"  
  
"I cannot yet. The king himself may. Maybe the son you so desperately wanted on the throne. But you, you will have a truth spell," the enchanter said, pushing his finger into the young man's forehead, just above his eyes and over his nose.  
  
The young man gasped and then started babbling incomprehensibly.  
  
He continued like that as the enchanter dragged the man up the basement stairs, out the house, across the open field before the castle, over the moat, into the castle, into the Great Hall, and thrown before the king.  
  
The king sat, surprised, his soft face holding some anger. "Duo. Why do you bring this man before me?"  
  
Duo only glared at the man, whose words suddenly became understandable. "I am sorry, My King!" the man screeched. "I have failed you! They, they forced me into it! They told me to get the poisons, I swear it! They wanted Milliardo on the throne, to be your successor, because he is friendly to Loquacity. They told me I would be rewarded by King Treize. They told me I would never be found. Never would anyone find out. It was hare's foot, and chokedust they asked for. To mix together to give a realistic death of choking. They wanted to kill you, and I . . . agreed . . . to help!" The man stopped, shuddering. The last words seemed to be forced out of him, and now he lay still, gasping and sobbing. The king straightened his back and looked at his son. Milliardo, his blond hair hanging loose about his shoulders, stared at the man in total shock, his blue eyes wide in disbelief.  
  
Darlian then turned to his daughter and was not surprised to find a look of disgust on her face. "What would you suggest I do, Duo, Milliardo, Relena?"  
  
Duo's and Milliardo's suggestions Darlian guessed from their eyes. Death. Punishment for treason of the highest forms. "Let him be imprisoned. Why should he die? He looks half-dead as it is. And if it gets out that our king kills those who commit treason, how would it look for his wish for peace?"  
  
Darlian looked at his daughter and then to the return arguments of the two young men he trusted. Unlike many kings before his time, he encouraged discussion of many things, including his own choices.  
  
His was probably the closest to a council as any country in the surrounding areas.  
  
"And if it gets out that the king of Perdition is easy upon those who commit treason, it would encourage it!" Duo argued. "We would have attempts upon the king every day!"  
  
"But how would it look if it is said that the king of Perdition kills all those who oppose him? How would business with treaties work? Most would be too scared to think of their own countries!"  
  
Duo ground his teeth. "Fine. As the princess wishes."  
  
Darlian nodded and moved his hand down to touch the head of his bodyguard. The man stiffened and waited. "Take him to the dungeons. Make sure he is fed and clothed. Then return to me."  
  
The man stood up, his entire body easily towering over everyone in the Great Hall. Silently, he walked down the steps and took the man by the back of his collar. Silently, he took the man out of the chamber and left him in some dreary cell. Silently, he returned to his post and sat at his king's feet. And his king only touched his head to show his gratitude and returned to his duties.  
  
He was content.  
  
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Sorry it's short, but I need to set up the setting before I can get into a plot line. So, just wait a moment and the next part will come up soon.  
  
A NOTE: If you were to go and look up in an English dictionary the words Loquacity and Perdition, you would find definitions for them. They have meanings!!! (I do my homework before I write a story! ^_^!) The definitions tell you a bit about what I think of these countries (I obviously do not think too highly. . .).  
  
And because I had so many notes in front, I thought I'd put my shout outs down here. Don't expect them here.  
  
Kat R. Fair: Glad you liked it so much!! ^_^ I put the Quatre part in there mainly for a part in chapter 2. He's gotta know his own name for a reason. So, he's five there. CHIBI QUATRE!!! ^_^ I think of all the pilots, Quatre is my favorite. Natural strategist, low self-esteem personality complex (cannot remember technical terms), and cute to boot!! (Okay, that's just my opinion. . .)  
  
Sarcastic Pessimist: Okay, to explain. Yes, he really is mute, he cannot talk with his mouth, but he's learn to communicate with hand-signals, but he won't stay mute. The next time you see him, he'll be cured of his muteness. I sorta need him to talk through this whole thing. But how he's cured does affect the story. (Hee hee. . . ) Y, por su puesto, I'll continue! I love this story too much. . .  
  
. : Completely anonymous. Like it. And, yes, I'll keep writing. Um, maybe a little bit of what you liked next time? And possibly something to call you by besides "period"? What you didn't understand, what was completely wrong, what is not done right, anything!!! (Relax, Kay. . .)  
  
You know something's different when your mother wears your clothes. Or cloak in this matter. Mom took my cloak to pick up my sister!!! It's just odd, for me. But it's good, because it keeps out the rain!! CAN YOU TELL I'M ON A HYPE??? SUGAR IS GOOD!!!  
  
Teaser:  
  
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There was no doubting those eyes and that face. His king stepped into the room and gasped in shock. "By the river, it is him!" The heir to wealth in another land stared at them with wide, blue eyes. To Wufei's surprise, his king lowered himself to his knees, one hand outstretched appealingly. "Come here, Quatre."  
  
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Thanks for reading! REVIEW PLEASE!  
  
~ Kay Kylo 


	3. Power

(Cracks knuckles) Oops, Mom says that's bad for me. (Stretches muscles) HERE GOES!!! CHAPTER TWO: POWER.  
  
Here we go: SHOUT OUTS!!! I love any and all reviews!! I love response to my stories, okay? So, I love all my reviewers!!! Hugs to all!  
  
Sarcastic Pessimist: @_@. . . Never thought of pairings. I know on my notes last chapter, I mentioned it was non-yaoi, so that cuts out a lot of pairings, but there is little romance in this story (if you look at the rest of my stories, that's rare for me!!). But the main pair that plays a huge part of this story is Wufei and Nataku, his almost-so-close wife. I think that the real story between them is so sad, so I honor that relationship a lot. She died to save him, and I feel sorry for both. (Sigh. . . Doing a fic of that too!) But about Quatre and Dorothy, NO CHANCE!! They have a friendship that I pass over in some upcoming chapter. . . But that's all, and I make sure to put that on very specifically.  
  
Kat R. Fair: ^_^ Love it when people love it!!! The silent bodyguard? Heero? There is someone who talks less than Heero!! And who bonds stronger than Heero does, which might incur the "faithful dog" feeling about him. (In my next fic I'm working on now, Quatre displays that quality.) And you haven't even met Heero yet in this fic. He's coming in now, in this chapter. Glad you like Duo's part, and what do you think about him being royalty? (Hey, cute, powerful, and royal! He's getting better every time!!) Later on, much later on, I -through Duo- tell about how that finger snapping works. YAY!!! Thanks for telling me how my characterization is going!! I guess have Episode Zero helped a lot!!! Can you tell I'm a little hyper???? The extra exclamation marks show that!!!! (Sigh. . . Again. . .)  
  
NOTES:  
  
BROUGHT UP: by Sarcastic Pessimist: Only couple is Wufei/Nataku. Very important part brought up later. There is some unrequited love between Middie (a character only in Zero, I think) and Trowa. You'll meet her later.  
  
BIG ONE: I intend on posting this story every Saturday morning. That's the only time I know I can get the computer. I know that I'm usually bad at posting regularly, though, so just have some patience (PLEASE!!).  
  
Ever had one of those days where everything went wonderfully but you're still in a bad mood? I hate those kind of days.  
  
Me no own Gundam Wing. Got it? Good. I do own Lord Une and Moriko, though. (They'll come up later)  
  
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[Ni es tan bueno, ni es tan malo]  
  
[Le falta sustancia, lo encuentro normal]  
  
[Intenta convencerme, inclina la balanza]  
  
[Y haremos algo personal]  
  
/Neither too good nor too bad\  
  
/It lacks substance, I find it normal\  
  
/Try to convince me, incline the balance\  
  
/And we'll make it something personal\ ~Ella Baila Sola (She Dances Alone)  
  
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Wufei walked down the streets, making his strides long and ground devouring. The horses beside him pranced as the King led the small procession through the city. The princess rode behind him, her red hair and pretty features seeming to stun the commoners. Several other guards rode, but they were from a lower rank than Wufei. Wufei was the highest of the King's Guard, and he had the honor of serving the king.  
  
A shout rose among the crowd and a thing pushed through the crowd. A sharp cry, strangely human, rose from its throat and it fell to its knees before the king. Guards jumped to grab it, and Wufei caught a look of desperate blue eyes.  
  
A boy. A young man, actually, and he was ragged beyond belief. Wufei felt a sharp pang of pity. His hair was long, scruffy and dirty. At one time, it might have been a blond color, but now was so dyed with mud and inattention that it was a muddy gold that blended in with the people.  
  
"Hold him," the king commanded coldly, and the young man was forced to his knees. "What do you think you are doing, Commoner?" The man looked up, his eyes soft and pleading. His lips moved but no noise issued from them.  
  
Wufei could smell it. It was so terrible of a stink that he wished he had not smelt it. Power. The scent of power, reeking and stinking worse than his unclean smell. It flowed so openly off of him that Wufei had to plug his nose.  
  
His mind suddenly registered an important fact. The smell came before an attack came. Wufei instinctively jumped in front of his king and saw the flash of power before he drew his sword. A raw physical attack with enchanter power? Little or no training, Wufei presumed. He swiped it away and the young man stumbled under his retaliation blow. Though not fully strengthened as this man, Wufei had his own enchanter power, but not enough to be trained as an enchanter.  
  
The guards quickly knocked him unconscious and the body crumpled to the ground. "My King?" a guard asked, and Treize frowned.  
  
"Bring him with. Chang, clean him, feed him, and cut his hair to the mage length. Don't let him get away now." Wufei grumbled, but managed to procure from an old man a donkey with a cart, which he brought the Potential to the castle in. Through the castle walls, into the dungeon structure, and into a cell. From there, the old man took his donkey and pocketed a few choice coppers.  
  
Wufei glowered at the putrid young man. Obviously, he had been a street rat for some time. His hair was nearly past his waist, and not taken care of in the least. Wufei drew his sword, clean and sharp, made for slicing through bodies, not cutting the hair of peasants.  
  
He sheathed it quickly and called for shears from the dungeon keeper. As he waited, he took some twine and tied the hair back to the head. It was too thick to all fit into a mage tail. Wufei sighed and pulled out some choice strands to be cut short and formed the tail. The shears came quickly enough, considering the dungeon keep had to go to the shepherds to get them. Two large snips later, much hair lay about the dungeon floor. Wufei tossed it to the side; the rats would like that for nests instead of torn shirts.  
  
He took out the tail and then called for some water, clean stuff from the river, and some soap. It was a rich bath for a poor soul, but his king had ordered him cleaned. First came his hair, and Wufei grimaced at the amount of grime, sweat, and dried mud that came off on his hands. A sponge bath came next, and Wufei wondered that the man did not wake up. The attack with the power must have drained him.  
  
Wufei chose to honor the fact that his king had said nothing of clothes. The peasant's dirty things were left lying on the ground beside him and Wufei finished his work with tying back his hair.  
  
'Strange,' he thought to himself as he looked at the man. 'He looks familiar.' He heard a sharp murmur of pain before the subtle scent of power started to radiate off of the man again. Wufei quickly mentally rebuked it, and his efforts caused the boy to awaken with a gasp.  
  
One look at those blue eyes with his hair tied back and short, his body clean and white again, and Wufei felt his heart rate speed up. He knew who this was. He stumbled back as the boy sat up, holding his head. His eyes cast about, but he did not find Wufei. He was gone.  
  
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Duo was awoken from his daily nap with a jolt that threw him to the floor. Gasping in pain as he held his now throbbing head, he gingerly felt with his gift for what had attacked him.  
  
Power. Energy so strong his own enchanter power looked pathetic. Untrained and just pulling upon itself to protect. But it was gone. Lost in a steady stream of life that floated gently by.  
  
Another Potential had probably died. A strong Potential had just died. Duo shook his head in pity and got to his feet, gripping his trunk to hold himself steady. Too many died before training.  
  
But then again, he had no proof that it had died. It could have simply been knocked unconscious. But to attack in such a violent way usually meant an attack on their body. To be knocked unconscious is not a good way to defend oneself from death.  
  
A hand gripped his outstretched arm and lowered him back to his bed. "Sleep. It was a strong blow. Drink this and sleep and forget." Duo gratefully took the cup from his boy and sipped. The spicy taste of ginger mingled with the bitter taste of elderroot, and he grimaced. But it did the trick, as his boy had been trained to do. His vision cleared and he saw his boy enough to nod in gratitude before he slipped into a drug- induced sleep.  
  
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Wufei did not even bother to knock as he burst into his king's door. Treize gave Wufei a disapproving look before he nodded his approval to speak.  
  
"My King, I found the heir to the Winners!"  
  
Treize looked at Wufei in shock. "The boy?"  
  
"Yes! He is the exact image of Lady Catherine!" Treize stood and glowered at his bodyguard.  
  
"Are you sure?" Wufei only nodded to Treize as the King swept out the door. Wufei trotted after him, the memory of that face still implanted in his face. Treize was moving fast enough that he looked to be walking, but at the speed of a fast jog. Wufei jogged after him and tried to clear the haunting image of the Lady Catherine from his mind. She was a Lady of Perdition, and she had come to Loquacity for help. Treize had opened his castle, but she soon disappeared, with her newborn son. Her body had been discovered on the river, eaten by dogs. Her son had yet to be found, and it was certain of his death.  
  
But Wufei was certain of the fact that this was the missing boy. By memory, Wufei's feet traced the steps and he followed his king into the depths of the dungeon. At some point, Treize pushed Wufei to lead him, and soon, Wufei found himself before the door. Murmuring an oath, he pushed open the door to find a very confused looking young man cowering in the corner.  
  
There was no doubting those eyes and that face. His king stepped into the room and gasped in shock. "By the river, it is him!" The heir to wealth in another land stared at them with wide, blue eyes. To Wufei's surprise, Treize lowered himself to his knees, one hand outstretched appealingly. "Come here, Quatre."  
  
Wufei's ears caught the name and he tried it on his tongue. It fit him. Quatre perked up at his name and he stared openly at Treize. He frowned and then moved his mouth, swallowed, and moved his mouth again. Slowly, like a lid on rusty hinges, his mouth opened and he made a guttural sound.  
  
"I will not harm you, Quatre," Treize murmured soothingly. "Come here." The young man made another sound before Wufei caught a sound much like a word.  
  
"He's mute, I'd bet," Wufei muttered, watching the determined look on his face as the boy continued to attempt to speak. Treize glanced up at Wufei and nodded.  
  
"He must be. I can cure him, but only if he'll come."  
  
"Wh-ee-r?"  
  
Wufei's eyes widened in shock. "Did he just say what I thought he said?"  
  
"Whe-er?"  
  
"You are at my castle, Quatre," Treize explained calmly. "Please come here." Gone was the soft, soothing tone he had used before. It was replaced by a commanding tone, and the mute stumbled to his knees, his raggedy tatters hanging like the rags they were to the ground. Slowly, he crawled across the open space, his eyes warily focused on the king. Every now and then his eyes flickered to Wufei and his sword, but most of his attention was on Treize.  
  
Gradually, Treize reached out his hand to Quatre's throat, caressing it encouragingly for a moment before he gripped it tightly. Quatre cried out in surprise and jumped back, fear in his eyes.  
  
"Did it work?" Wufei asked quietly. The contact had not seemed to be more than a moment. To his surprise, his king nodded, a grin on his face. Quatre fingered his throat as if it burned him.  
  
"Water . . ." he murmured, as if it pained him to speak. His eyes widened at his own words and he swallowed. "Please?"  
  
Wufei ran like never before. The bucket of water he carried with him only cooled the fire raging in the ex-mute's throat, but it was enough. The young heir, who did not know his own fortune, wiped his mouth messily and watched the two watching him. His dirty sleeve left a streak of dirt on his face, but he did not pay it any heed. "What do you wish of me?"  
  
Treize smiled as if he was in a simple conversation. "I know that you have a great power, possibly the greatest ever seen in a human. It drives you mad, doesn't it?" Quatre nodded slowly. "I can give you training to prevent that, if you use your gifts to help me, as I have used and will use my clothing, my food, and my money to help you." Wufei frowned at the deal, but schooled his face to disinterest as the man looked to him for a clue to the strings.  
  
Slowly, his head bobbed in the slightest of nods. "I agree. Your Kingship."  
  
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Night. When all was dark and his mind roamed beyond his body. Sometimes, his body joined it, but most of the time, his physical sense lay in his bed, eyes wide with sightlessness and his mind lost in the depths of the darkness.  
  
But tonight, he could not find the strength to let his mind leave. It was too hard tonight. The Potential had blasted him very well, as with most other enchanted out there. But since he, Duo, was sensitive to other powers, it hurt him more. (1)  
  
Groaning, Duo leaned against a wall as a wave of weakness washed over him. His own power was having trouble rebuilding. He was starting to worry that the blast had permanently damaged him.  
  
His ever-present barrier rang with the shock of a person entering it. His eyes snapped open and he found two very blue, very angry eyes staring at him. A knife caressed his throat and Duo stood still, his violet eyes staring at those eyes.  
  
"Who is your king?" the shadow asked. Duo swallowed and steadied his nerve. Though not afraid of death, he was still not ready for it.  
  
"My king is Darlian, and no other."  
  
The shadow was silent and not moving. After a long time, his knife left the throat, only to reappear at his abdomen, pressed into where his stomach was. Though Duo knew little of war wounds or fighting with blades, he had heard stories of men who were stabbed there that lived for days, weeks, in terrible pain before they died, eaten by their own body. He had seen a few of those men before the war had ended.  
  
"Who is your king?"  
  
Better to die knowing that he had not lied. "My king is Darlian."  
  
The shadow smirked, he knew, even though he could not see it. "Good. Get to your bed, Enchanter." Duo watched in wonder as the shadow slunk down the darkened hallway. Drawing upon his reserves, Duo willed the torches lining the wall to come on, and they did, revealing a young man about his age. The man stopped and stared straight ahead, and the torches winked out.  
  
"I know you."  
  
"Most who see me do."  
  
"You work for Darlian."  
  
"I patrol the halls to make sure none will harm him."  
  
"My mouth will not betray you."  
  
"I had hoped so. I'd hate to kill you after just meeting you."  
  
With that, Duo felt his presence disappear and Duo took in a deep breath. Well, that was interesting.  
  
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The next day showed Wufei getting up early to awaken Quatre. The boy, as Wufei started calling him because his naivete made him seem childish, was awake as he came in to the lavish room the king had assigned him. His eyes were wide with delight as he exclaimed over the clothes that the king had given him. They were soft and pliable, but too large, Wufei noted coldly. Never did he get that sort of gift.  
  
He was about to leave when Wufei stopped him, pointing to the hair that fell about his head messily. Quatre blinked at it.  
  
"What is wrong with leaving it?"  
  
"It is not presentable," Wufei grunted, taking the coarse camelhair brush and pulling it through his hair. The boy complied, only wincing when he pulled too hard. Wufei then pulled it into a high ponytail, quite a feat with the short hair. Once that was done, Wufei stepped back. The mage's tail looked good on him, with some hairs falling out to frame his face lightly.  
  
"That hurts," Quatre mumbled, following Wufei out the door.  
  
"It is a mage tail, as your king wished."  
  
"It still hurts."  
  
Wufei could not help but think about it. Just because his king wished it did not mean he was happy with guarding his new enchanter. Just because his king wished it did not mean the mage tail did not hurt.  
  
Slowly, Wufei reached up to touch his warrior's tail, a short spiky tail lower on his head, closer to his neck. How long did he suffer a throbbing scalp before his hair grew accustomed to wearing it like it he did?  
  
"It won't for very long."  
  
Quatre looked up at him and smiled.  
  
Wufei found the tower that his king had directed him to and slowly led the way up the steps. As he heard it, the man he was searching out was insane, living as a bird, flying out the window when he cared to.  
  
But he was the only one in the entire kingdom who could train an enchanter. For one did not need to be an enchanter to train them. They just had to know what to do, how to train, what to do if something goes out of control, etcetera. This man knew it, and was somehow related or something to the king. So he was kept, and now was of use.  
  
Wufei came upon a door in the spiraling stairs and rapped on it. There was a sudden sound as if something was dropped, and then some livid screams came before the man opened the door, a looked of pure rage on his face.  
  
"WHAT?" he screamed in Wufei's face. Wufei did not back down.  
  
"I assume you got the message from the king?"  
  
The man paused. "Yes. I've seen you around, and you don't have the power to be trained. Go away."  
  
"I am not the one you are to train," Wufei explained angrily. He stepped aside and pushed Quatre before the man. His eyes were big and wide with fear, but they held a bit of curiosity, as Wufei believed he always would.  
  
The man's eyes widened in shock. "By the river and sand, you are strong! Get in here, and you too, you might be needed. Well, don't stand there staring, boy, get cleaning."  
  
Wufei glared at him in horror. What, him? The King's Man, clean a sea gull excrement covered room? He really was insane. Wufei stubbornly crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the man set the boy to work pushing things into the wall and then covered with pillows and other soft items. A circle was made, the pillows covering the furniture.  
  
He chose to stand outside.  
  
"I recommend you stand in here," the man said calmly. Wufei shook his head viciously and the man shrugged. "Your choice. Boy, what is your name?"  
  
"I am Quatre. May I ask yours?"  
  
The man raised an eyebrow. "What is he, some nobleman's son? Never mind, I've not seen such manners. My name is Rasid."  
  
Quatre nodded and he sat as Rasid commanded with his eyes.  
  
"Now, to make sure you do not blind people like you have been doing to those with my sensitivity, we will work on hiding that power. Having power is good for having it. Having power is bad for others wanting it."  
  
Wufei felt his heart rate pick up as he remembered the deal Quatre had made with his king, but neither noticed, for Rasid was already pushing him to hiding his power. Quatre caught the concept quickly, but soon Wufei found a problem.  
  
He could see the power. Usually, he just smelt it or felt it. Now, he could see it, building, making Quatre glow the same color as his eyes. Wufei could see the look of discomfort as the power grew within, pleading to be let out. Slowly, the power started to move, from his limbs to his torso, to his head, where Wufei knew destructive powers lay.  
  
Wufei wanted suddenly to run. He tried to, but such was the power in the room that he could not move at all. "Rasid!" he shouted, and he only saw the man nod slowly, his eyes focused on the concentrated power, looking like a moth about to fly to the light.  
  
Quatre threw back his head and screamed, and with that, the power flowed out of him like a wave at the sea's coast, bursting out, roaring, sucking everything to it before it started to fling itself toward shore. But this wave went in all directions. The furniture was thrown to the wall, and the stones cracked with the power.  
  
Wufei saw the power rushing for him, and he tried to run, but the power was so strong he could not move at all. He struggled vainly before he felt his own enchanter power being sucked out by the tsunami of power.  
  
It slammed into him and he felt the hard stone of the wall instants before all was darkness.  
  
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(1): My mom didn't understand, so I had to explain it. Remember when Quatre, in an attempt to protect himself, attacked Wufei with a "raw physical attack with enchanter power"? Duo wasn't there, but he was hit by it too. It was that powerful: miles away, he was hit by it. Does it make sense to you guys?  
  
* By the River and Sand: Oath, sort of. I personally do not swear and stuff, so I say stuff like "oh my goodness", and this culture needed an oath like that. The things that are most common to them are the river and the sand, so they make oaths by it, since it seems to live forever. Got it? Good.  
  
Mmm. . . . Mac and cheese . . . I'm too lazy to cook it myself, so my sister (big huge grin) is nice enough to cook some for me!!  
  
Just finished watching Ella Enchanted. Good movie. I've heard it isn't like the book "at all" for those who want to know. Still need to see Hidalgo. . .  
  
Enough of my personal life!!! (Kay: Uh, DUH!!) Here's the TEASER.  
  
Teaser: Next chapter, named Assassin __________________________________________________________________  
  
"It was familiar," Darlian murmured. Duo only nodded. "But it is very powerful. I have sensed it growing."  
  
Duo did not speak. He could not understand what Darlian was saying. In a moment, he understood partially as Darlian waved to a dark corner. A figure stepped out, his blue eyes glaring at Duo for a moment before he turned his eyes back to the king.  
  
Duo knew him instantly. The King's man, the Night One, the one who attacked him in the night that one day.  
  
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Thanks for reading on the K.K. Express. Please have a nice day and ride the K.K. Express again! We'll be happy to transport you again!  
  
~ Kay Kylo  
  
REVIEW PLEASE! 


	4. Assassin

(Tapping fingers lightly on the keyboard without typing letters) I'm warming up!! CHAPTER THREE: ASSASSIN. Guess who stars here??  
  
Shout outs to all who bother to review: (I really am happy, though!)  
  
Sarcastic Pessimist: (Because I'm used to calling you that. . .) I don't despise Middie, but what she did was still wrong. (Hum. . .) I don't think she actually told him she loved him. I think she just thought it. Hold on, my manga is right here. . . Yeah, she never said it aloud, but she did say she hated him aloud. What a hypocrite. . . Oh, and as of now, I am very happy that you read my notes. (Or at least it seems you do . . . !!)  
  
Hikaru: (Sigh. . .) Hate to burst your bubble, but Chapter One, Plot Discovered, under my long list of notes, and I quote: "Non-yaoi." Sorry if you were hoping for that, but I don't write yaoi. I've got too many bad experiences with yaoi. But I'm glad you like my story!! ;;  
  
My school had a bomb threat a few days ago. We're connected to another, separate school, and they let that school out, telling us that they had the bomb, and I heard from someone in the other school that they said we had the bomb. Odd, huh? But there were choppers and police and dogs and strange scary messages meant to keep us calm but we already knew there was a bomb threat, etc.  
  
Nothing else I can blabber about. Short today. (Sigh) Oh, and my entire style of format as disappeared because of the quickedit option. I don't like it.  
  
I thought we discussed this already. I do not own Gundam Wing. The Continent (Ahem, the setting) is mine, though   
  
[La falta de interes me esta destrozando]  
  
[Dame algo en que pensar, para ir empezando]  
  
[Dame una guerra donde luchar]  
  
[Dame una meta donde llegar]  
  
[Dame un motivo, dame una idea]  
  
[Pero dame algo en que pensar]  
  
/The lack of interest is destroying me  
  
/Give me something to think about, for the beginning  
  
/Give me a war to fight  
  
/Give me a goal to arrive at  
  
/Give me a motive, give me an idea  
  
/But give me something to think about Ella Baila Sola (She Dances Alone)  
  
Last time: (Just to refresh your memory)  
  
The wave slammed into Wufei and he felt the hard stone of the wall instants before all was darkness.  
  
Duo shifted uncomfortably in the formal robes of the enchanted, wondering once again just why he was seated at the King's Table, waiting for the debate over trade prices to be over. He winced as another sharp wave of pain hit his head and he groaned lightly. It was sharp, but not too painful, but his head could not handle much more bursts as it had been having.  
  
"We must raise the price! Loquacity is an enemy that refuses to take off the mask of friendship!"  
  
That would be Lord Winner. Duo glanced up at the powerfully built man through a watery gaze. He could not help but feel sorry for him. It was common knowledge that though he wished for a man to rule his lands after him, Winner never got a son, though he had many children, until the very last child came. It was his last chance, and though he loved his wife, he wished desperately for a boy. Then his wife disappeared, taking his young heir with him. There had been signs of a struggle when they found her room empty.  
  
He was left heart-broken and bitter. There had been marks of a possible kidnapping, and he turned all his anger and frustration upon Loquacity. Many believed it was just exaggerating, but many just ignored his hatred for the empire. He may have had a good point, for she was found dead on Loquacity's banks.  
  
"Though we may not agree with Loquacity, my dear friend," Darlian stated calmly, "she is our mother, and we must be courteous to her, no matter what wrong she has done us."  
  
"You're just bitter," another lord muttered. "Just bitter. Just because she was found on Loquacity banks does not mean they had anything to do about it."  
  
"I am certain it was Loquacity! We are close enough to their borders for them to get in and out easily. And the desert traders always bring in new people. No one would have noticed it at all."  
  
Duo shook his head at the pointless debate. Once again, it had gotten off of trade prices. Suddenly, he could see it. In his mind's eye, there was a wave coming at him at a horrible velocity.  
  
He tried to set up his feeble defenses against such a blast, but they would not respond. He was completely open, helpless, and unable to defend himself. It slammed into him and he screamed as the power ripped through his body and mind, tearing it apart. His body was never used to such power, and now to have it all forced into him was going to kill him.  
  
He was aware of his physical body lying on the ground, seizures shaking it and power bursts breaking free in his trademark violet power, all the while screaming. The power blasts were shaking the lords out of their wits, and no one could reach him to help him.  
  
He was going to die.  
  
A flash of green and a human hand touched his body. Someone had gotten through. Without hesitation, he allowed the green power to draw out the strength that was killing him. He could hear the scream from the Green One and started to pull off, to let simply himself die, when he felt the power starting to be distributed. The Green One sent power to the King, and from there to all of the lords, to his children, and to the lords' children.  
  
It dissipated pretty quickly. But the power surge was still strong in him, but no longer was killing him.  
  
Both spent and drained, the Green One and Duo let their minds leave and their bodies collapsed.  
  
Wufei came to his senses slowly. The ceiling above him was cracked. Groaning, he rolled to his side and looked at the room. Most everything was destroyed, and every stone in the room was cracked.  
  
He sat up and held his head, feeling the blood pounding in it. He let out a moan and looked around the room again. Rasid was getting up, his own head cradled in his hand.  
  
Quatre was passed out on the floor, the glow of power still obvious to Wufei's eyes. Wufei stumbled to his feet and crossed to his charge and shook him. Quatre's eyes opened, still glowing the light blue of his power. He blinked and shook his head.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"You let all your power out in a blast, nearly killing us, nearly destroying my room, and probably sending enchanters in a dozen mile radius into seizures. After that half-dozen mile, there is probably a thirty-mile range in all directions that got headaches. Everywhere else, they probably just got a pressure."  
  
Quatre looked at Rasid in surprise. "I did not mean to."  
  
"Of course not. But that should give you an idea of how strong you are. The more you train, the more powerful you become. I heard the Perdition enchanter, in his prime, could kill anyone in a mile radius. But he's become sensitive, and now it is hard for him to gain his full capability."  
  
Wufei raised a speculative eyebrow. "And how do you know?"  
  
"My birds tell me all."  
  
He gestured to elaborate at the birds lining the sills of the windows. Crows, gulls, eagles, songbirds, pigeons, and other birds lined the crumbling stone, staring at the three men. Several looked vicious, and Wufei reminded himself that he had his sword and his own power. If it had not been permanently sucked out by the tsunami.  
  
Wufei heard footsteps and exclamations and grimaced. A shock wave like that had to have alerted many, including his king. The man burst through the door, his eyes wide in fear for his enchanter. They softened when he saw Quatre standing, but they turned an accusing look on Wufei.  
  
Was he really so low in his king's mind? Was it just yesterday his king had told him that he pleased the king? What did he do to deserve this fall from favor? Angrily, he clenched his fists and refused to make eye contact.  
  
"What happened, Chang?"  
  
"A power burst," he snapped. "Just some practice, and it all burst out. He's just fine."  
  
Treize sighed happily. "Good. Let him get some rest. Rasid, tell me about his power."  
  
Rasid paused in dusting off his broken furniture. He snorted. "What's to tell? He was made for bigger things than an enchanter, but none exist who can help his training be complete, so you'll have to settle with a very strong enchanter," he paused and looked Treize in the eye, "with limitless power."  
  
Treize looked very pleased, his eyes widening and a grim smile crossing his face. "I am fine with that."  
  
Treize swept out of the room, his men tagging after him. With a growl, Wufei followed, motioning Quatre to follow him. Quatre did, but Wufei could feel the sadness radiating off of him.  
  
"Wufei?"  
  
"What."  
  
"What did I do wrong? I'm sorry for it."  
  
Wufei sighed, feeling the heavy guilt and sadness coming off of the Potential in waves. "You did nothing wrong. I'm just . . . tired."  
  
"Wufei?"  
  
"What."  
  
"Why did he seem so happy when he heard I had . . . extraordinary power?"  
  
Wufei shook his head. Boy he may be, but sometimes his mental maturity still surprised him. "It's nothing either of us can control."  
  
Quatre moved to walk closer. "I'm sorry you're tired."  
  
Wufei could not help but let his anger dissipate. It was not Quatre's fault that he fell from favor. The king chose to let that happen. He and Quatre were just subject to the king's desires. He turned and smiled at Quatre, placing a companionable hand on his shoulder before he continued to descend.  
  
Several months. Several months of the power of that distant enchanter pounding into his head night and day, on and off, as if it were training. He had reason to believe it was.  
  
He heard the rumors as well. Whispers among the courtesans, of an enchanter who could not do his job, of more attempts on the king as they slept. There were others, nastier, and other things that his power could not catch. Yet they did not know how good of a job he did.  
  
It had to be from that blast. The tsunami wave of power had burned much of his old power out of him, useless as it was now, but still a part of him. In its place, the wave had placed new gifts, and he felt his old strength return as it never had for the past few years. Strange that he would receive a gift in such a painful way. But those gifts did him good. The pounding in his head came intermittently, and would have required elderroot several times, had it not been for this newfound power that raced through his body.  
  
It was strange, to feel another's power they still used within him. His boy had noticed it too, noting that his eyes were no longer the violet they once had been. Instead, they were a blue-violet, and though many noticed it, few accounted it to a new power.  
  
The gifts were amazing. Strength, boundless and ebbing at his beck and call. Sight, so that he could see people in colors. Two different things, actually. If he looked at someone long enough, he could see a glow of their power over them, like a skin invisible to the normal eye. This was what provided him with a clue to find the one who had saved his life.  
  
Trowa, the silent bodyguard of the king. It made sense too. His eyes were the same color as the Green One that appeared to save him. Duo had searched him out not long after he saw the aura around him.  
  
The second was quite useful as well. He could see a color under their power, the color indicating some aspect of their personalities. Trowa, he found, was a mix of colors, almost impossible to discern from each other. It made sense. So little was obvious and so much was hidden, as the colors seemed to indicate to him. It was hard to describe in words.  
  
But one more, most important thing, that the blast had left him with, was images. Two, actually. One of a man his age. His eyes and hair were black, his skin burned to a bronze color. The aura that Duo could see around him was black, but not in an evil sense. Just dark, dark like a summer night, or dark like a dry cave in a rainstorm. It was strong, but not like an enchanter. A warrior trained to the full extent of his skill.  
  
The second picture was of eyes. Simply eyes, blue like the power that ran through his mind. They were soft, and yet held maturity. A gentleness of spirit that had seen much in his short life. Beyond a doubt, he knew who it was. The owner of such power.  
  
For some reason, the aura was familiar in some sense. There was a soft knock and Duo got up to his door and opened it. "Oh, Helen!" The aging woman smiled. Duo remembered her when she was younger. She had been a very beautiful young woman, but he had been a child. "What do you wish of me?"  
  
"The king wishes for you."  
  
Helen smiled at Duo as he scrambled to pull his tunic on. Duo threw one last grin at her before he trotted out the door. His mind sent a sharp guard up around her before he completely left her vicinity. She was important to him. She had been his teacher.  
  
With a final grunt, he pushed open the door to the king's chamber and encountered Trowa's sword point. He stopped short and blinked at Trowa for a moment. The bodyguard blinked and pulled the sword down. Duo was certain he saw a ghost of a smile cross his face. Some joke.  
  
The king was seated at the dressing table; his eyes focused on his own reflection. "Duo. Thank you for coming quickly."  
  
"I would have been faster if your guard would learn to find another way to tease visitors," Duo muttered sullenly. Darlian grinned at his enchanter and examined him.  
  
"You have changed."  
  
"That blast changed me."  
  
"It was familiar," Darlian murmured. Duo only nodded. "But it is very powerful. I have sensed it growing."  
  
Duo did not speak. He could not understand what Darlian was saying. In a moment, he understood partially as Darlian waved to a dark corner. A figure stepped out, his blue eyes glaring at Duo for a moment before he turned his eyes back to the king.  
  
Duo knew him instantly. The King's man, the Night One, the one who attacked him in the night that one day.  
  
"Heero. The threat to the east is growing large."  
  
Heero nodded without emotion.  
  
"The Perdition king sleeps light. Come Duo. We need to go and wake my slothful son. Relena should be up about now."  
  
Duo only stared over his shoulder as Heero blended back into the shadows. What did he mean? He understood very little of it. But the new skill showed him that the personality color of him was dark, possibly the dark purple of kings in the shadows, and it made him uneasy.  
  
Yet he trusted his king, and would not question him.  
  
Quatre had rarely been so pleased to feel the light pinch out at his will. The candle winked out and he leaned back into the straw mattress of his bed. Rasid's deep breathing sounded from just across the room. The hermit had left his high bedroom to train him, to sleep in a room with a whole bed. And in the tradition of teacher and student, Rasid slept in the same room as him. It was a nice feeling, too, to have another breathing being in the room. It comforted Quatre.  
  
He slowly focused on loosening his tight muscles in his back and felt the unwinding of the fibers. He was sore. Rasid had pushed him hard today. He had mastered hiding his power, for no more than a half-hour. It was too hard after that. He was now trained to light and extinguish lights, attack with his power, and other small little things that he could expand upon. Rasid experimented upon his individual gifts, and also taught him to send messages to those he bonded with.  
  
But what caused his muscles to be so bunched was his training with Wufei. He made sure that Quatre understood that his training was an absolute secret. No one was supposed to know that he was being battle trained. Wufei taught him drills with weapons, but also how to use his power to block attacks when he had nothing to defend himself with. He was taught to block weapons with his hands, and Quatre found that Wufei was a formidable opponent. Only once had Wufei actually attacked him to the fullest potential of his strength, and it made Quatre glad that Wufei was his friend. There had been little he could do to prevent his attacks from hitting.  
  
Wufei had healed him, though. He had no scars from those wounds. It made it so much easier to stand before his king and show his training.  
  
Quatre sighed and rolled over, studying the night sky out the window and finally fell asleep.  
  
To awake moments later by a dark feeling entering his barrier. He had set it up around the castle to tell him when someone would come into the castle grounds. He sat up in bed, scarcely daring to breathe. He quickly checked the second barrier around the sleeping chambers, hoping he was just imagining things. A few moments passed and he started to breathe slower.  
  
A person crossed it, paused in it, and then moved on. Quatre swallowed hard and got out of the bed, crossing to the door. He slipped it open and set up a makeshift barrier just outside his door. To get to the king, they would have to get through him.  
  
It never occurred to him to get his teacher. It never occurred to him to send a message to Wufei. He just knew it, just knew that the man was after his king, and he would not let him do it.  
  
The person walked into the barrier and Quatre barreled out of his door and promptly found his head slammed into the floor. All he could see of the man were his two eyes, blue and filled with anger and surprise. The man held him tightly and Quatre felt panic send out three messages to those he had bonded with. His teacher aroused in the room behind him and approached the door. Wufei jumped and started running. Treize stared at the ceiling in confusion.  
  
A knife touched his throat and Quatre gasped silently. The man breathed slowly and murmured a small question. "Who is your king?"  
  
Quatre screamed. The knife pressed to his throat and entered, ripping apart his skin. His eyes widened in fear before his scream faded to a voiceless gurgle.  
  
Evilest cliffhanger you will ever read from me. Honest. Cross my heart. Or at least, the evilest in this story. There's an eviler one in another story. . .  
  
Okay, notes from other stuff. I'll only state stuff once, so if you have questions that refer to specific parts, I'll refer you to those notes in reviews, okay?  
  
Desert Traders: A people that live in the deserts just north of Perdition and Loquacity. As I've written this, the people sort of grew up in my mind, so I cannot waste space to tell you everything. They do not have too much importance in this story, but they do in other's I'm working on.  
  
When Duo saw that wave coming at him, it was a wave that no one could see but him. Does anyone understand what happened there, because it's hard to explain? See, his mind was what saw it, but it was an actual, physical wave of power. It had lost it's original strength over the land before it hit him, so the most it caused was throwing him out of his seat. But the power forced itself into his body, like into a storage tank in him, but it was too much and could not be controlled. So it started to burn, and could have physically killed him, and it was ripping apart his mind. Does that make any sense?  
  
Okay, on to Heero. He's what I call a Shadow, a race of human that can shadowleap, or travel through another world, one of shadow, by means of shadows. In the desert trader tongue, they are called Hombresobra, and in the pirate tongue (yes, it will be important, but in another story), they are called Hommombre. And for those who care, yes, the desert tongue is Spanish and the pirate tongue is French, but they are not specifically called that. And for those who are insulted that the French speakers are pirates, the main characters and good guys are pirates in that story, okay?  
  
Nuttin else. Have a good day!!!  
  
Teaser:  
  
The only reason he did not scream was that he breathed. Duo sat up quickly in his bed, his hand touching smooth skin where there should have been torn muscle. He swallowed hard and breathed again, amazed that he could breathe. He had felt that blue-eyed person push him into the ground. He had felt that blade slip into his neck and slice it open. He had felt his own blood pool in his lungs. He shuddered and rubbed his head where he should have throbbed horribly.  
  
Thank you for reading this time! Please come back soon! Maybe even see some other stuff I have up. That'll make me happy.  
  
Kay Kylo  
  
Oops, I forgot!  
  
REVIEW PLEASE!! 


	5. Retribution

This is the chapter many will hate the most. CHAPTER FOUR: RETRIBUTION.  
  
(Steam) I have mentioned this several times before. I do not own these characters, etc.  
  
I hate to tell this to all Relena haters out there, but I'm afraid you will hate the end of one of my scenes. I'm am warning you in advance so that you will not yell at me, yes? I need to give her some part, because otherwise, she will refuse to help in the others that she is in.  
  
SHOUT OUTS!!! I HAVE MADE COOKIES FOR ALL MY REVIEWERS!!!   
  
Kat R. Fair: Bad . . . kitty? I'm afraid I do not understand. And what constant apologies? I'm afraid I usually forget everything I type on a story until I reread it, so I need some specific stuff to remind me of what's going on. (Confuzzled. . .) ;;;; But thanks for reviewing again!!!!!  
  
Sarcastic Pessimist: Yes, I do live in the big USA, but no, I was not taking the SATs. There were, um, AP students taking tests, but no SATs. I don't like the SAT. I much prefer the ACT. Much easier and I score higher in that. And regarding your question, Duo has that exact same question in this chapter, so I'll let Helen explain it all to you. Okay?  
  
I AM GOING TO GO MAD!!!!!! I HAVE A COMPLETE AND TOTAL WRITER'S BLOCK!!!!!!!! Good thing this story is finished.  
  
[Ni es barato, ni es tan caro]  
  
[Le sobra precio, le falta calidad]  
  
[Intenta convencerme, inclina la balanza]  
  
[Y haremos algo personal]  
  
/Neither cheap nor dear/  
  
/It's over priced, it lacks quality/  
  
/Try to convince me, incline the balance/  
  
/And we'll make it something personal/ Ella Baila Sola (She Dances Alone)  
  
Last time: (Just to refresh your memory)  
  
Quatre screamed. The knife pressed to his throat and entered, ripping apart his skin. His eyes widened in fear before his scream faded to a voiceless gurgle.  
  
Wufei felt the wave of fear and pain crash over him with a link he did not know he shared with his boy, and he doubled his speed. There was a strangled cry of anguish just ahead of him, and Wufei felt his throat clench.  
  
Before him, in a bloody mess, was Quatre. His teacher was crouched over his unmoving body, and a shadow was darting down the hall in the way he must have come from. Without a question asked or answered, Wufei was on his knees in the blood. His hand covered the hole caused by the blade and he quickly set his power to work. Under his hand, the blood vessels that were cut sewed together, and the air tube healed. The skin re-grew, and he pushed his power in to cleanse his lungs of blood.  
  
Quatre sat up, coughing and crying.  
  
Instantly, he was in Wufei's arms, clinging to his tunic. Tears soaked his shirt and Wufei clung to the boy. Wufei had not known his fondness for this boy, his brotherly love for him, until he had nearly lost him. Just as he had lost another he had loved. Wufei glowered at the ground and clutched Quatre to him tighter. Murmuring soft words of encouragement to him, he rocked the boy as his sobs quieted.  
  
He heard a sharp grunt from Rasid and Wufei grudgingly handed Quatre over to him. Quatre sniffled and clung to the new person holding him. Rasid rubbed his back and murmured slowly to Quatre. Suddenly, Rasid clutched tighter and cast a sharp glare at Wufei. Quickly, he threw his mind into the link he had with Quatre and found another mind waiting for him. Rasid. They moved toward the threat and found a mind waiting, trying to pull itself into Quatre's mind. Wufei nearly ran the mind out in a moment, but the mind backed off. After a short stand off, the mind left through a link in a dark corner of Quatre's mind and disappeared.  
  
Wufei pulled back and gently lay a hand on Quatre's still-shaking shoulder.  
  
"I will not let this wrong not be avenged."  
  
Wufei glanced over his shoulder at his king, who had come at some point in protecting Quatre. Rage filled Treize's face as he glared at Quatre. Wufei turned and saw what he saw. A scar. A scar he would always have. Right across his throat, hidden by his chin if he kept his head in the right position, but at the moment, it was horribly visible, red and burning.  
  
"Will you let it be?" Treize snapped. Wufei shook his head viciously. "Obviously it was Perdition. Only that plot of land would be cowardly enough to attack a boy, a child."  
  
"He's fifteen and considers himself a man," Rasid snapped before carrying the shaking boy into the room, leaving the two to stand in the blood-soaked hall.  
  
"Yet is not old enough to do it alone," Treize murmured. "Come back to bed, Chang. We will see this avenged in the morning."  
  
The only reason he did not scream was that he breathed. Duo sat up quickly in his bed, his hand touching smooth skin where there should have been torn muscle. He swallowed hard and breathed again, amazed that he could breathe. He had felt that blue-eyed person push him into the ground. He had felt that blade slip into his neck and slice it open. He had felt his own blood pool in his lungs. He shuddered and rubbed his head where he should have throbbed horribly.  
  
"You do not understand."  
  
Duo started and turned to the corner, where he saw Helen seated. Her pale hair tumbled down over her shoulders, glistening in the single candle's light. Her eyes, darkened by a thought he did not wish to share, bore into his own eyes. He shook his head. "I thought it was a dream."  
  
"I am surprised myself. It happened to someone, someone you were linked with. I wondered that it did not fade. I only saw the link a few weeks ago, and it strengthened as time passed, not fading as I was certain it would."  
  
"I still do not understand. I have not linked to anyone lately."  
  
Helen smiled, the grin grim and forced. "You do not, do you? You are linked to the Loquacity enchanter."  
  
Duo stared at her in shock before he shook his head. "Were," he corrected. Helen's smile remained.  
  
"So it would seem," she murmured before pushing her mind into his. He gently opened it to her and waited as he felt her pressing and prodding. Suddenly, a picture of the dark powered man appeared in his mind, the one that came with the new powers. He gave Helen a questioning glance and she smiled. "This man has a power of healing that I have never seen before in one of dark power. I doubt the enchanter will have more than a scar."  
  
Duo stared at her in total shock. So much power in one country. Helen saw his look and nodded sagely. "The threat to the east grows stronger," she muttered, and Duo remembered the words Darlian had said to Heero. Duo gasped and saw once again, those blue eyes just before the knife slit his throat.  
  
"Stop that." Duo jumped out of the memory and gave her a grateful look.  
  
"What linked me to him?"  
  
"The wave, of course."  
  
Duo thought and found it was the only interaction they had had. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind so abruptly he was almost certain Helen had placed it in there, yet it still excited him.  
  
"I can find out who he is!" Duo cried, surprise and happiness mingling in his tone.  
  
"Shush!" Helen admonished, adding: "yes, you can, but don't wake the castle in doing so!" Duo threw her his big roguish grin that Helen could not help but smile at and settled into the depths of his own mind. He settled his thoughts and found only himself. Nothing else in the room attracted his attention. Gently, he reached out and found in the section that still glowed with the blue power a small hole. The blue power that glowed beyond the hole confirmed his suspicions. He gently labeled it in his mind and waited as Helen's mind came into his. With her presence as a grounder, he threw his mind down the link. Miles passed beneath him in a moment and he was over water and rich farmland, flying, racing to a mind that suffered enough power to kill half the world in one blast.  
  
Only to run into a wall so strong he lost himself in the wildness of the bodiless world. Moments passed until Helen reached down the link and grabbed him, gave him his grounder again, and reminded him of who he was. If he had been in his body, he would have given a sigh of relief, but he gave her only a grateful feeling before he reached out to the wall. He brushed it lightly. Fear threw him back and he steadied himself before he touched it again. Fear and pain. But mostly fear. Totally blocked. He pushed his presence over the entire wall, searching for a way in, a crack, a hole, an opening. There was nothing.  
  
The total terror of nearly dying blocked the enchanter's mind so completely Duo doubted that he knew even of the walls.  
  
He could suddenly feel a feeling of alarm from a near mind, as if someone sensed him near the mind. Instantly, he backed off as two other minds, both dark, came to protect that which he could not harm.  
  
If he had a body, he would have shrugged. He backed off and let the minds decide if he were dangerous or not. They did not leave, and one gave a feeling of hatred and resentment while the other attempted to send a calming wave to the first. Duo let out a feeling of surrender and returned to his own body and let out a sad sigh. He did not need to speak to Helen of what had happened, for he could sense her own disappointment.  
  
Wufei took a deep breath and stood, walking before the court as Treize nodded at him. Slowly, he opened his mind and Treize's presence, almost suffocating, entered and greeted him. 'Remember to say it exactly as I tell you.'  
  
Wufei sent a mental frown to his king and stood before the court and looked to face them all. He could see the powerful lords and ladies. One, Lady Une, looked at them with a feral grin. A lord, Septem, glared at those around him. Wufei took a sharp breath and waited for Treize to put words in his mouth.  
  
"As many of you know," Wufei felt his mouth say. "The king was nearly assassinated in his bed last night. Yet he was saved." Though no one was supposed to know, everyone in the court covered their surprise with a knowing look that was filled with expectation. Wufei felt distaste fill his mind, but Treize rebuked it gently.  
  
"This was only by the actions of his courageous enchanter-in-training." At this, Wufei turned to look at the surprised look on Quatre's face. He had broke from his retreated fear to look at Wufei, hope in his eyes. "He saved your king's life by throwing himself in the way of the assassin. His throat was cut, and it was by my efforts that he survived. And the king asked him, if he would like to avenge himself and his king by retaliating." Quatre looked shocked, as Wufei would expect. Treize had done no such thing.  
  
He was silent for a moment. It was the moment of choice, and Wufei knew the consequences of each choice. Would he prove himself a coward before the entire court and dishonor himself or possibly run to suicide to avenge a wrong that would probably not happen again? Quatre looked to Wufei for answers, but he knew he could not give them. Gleaning nothing from Wufei's gaze, he looked to Treize.  
  
"It is a great honor I am giving you," Treize answered. "If it would please you, I could send you with a friend to protect you." Quatre's face lit up a bit and he bit his lip.  
  
"I will, if he would be pleased to accompany me."  
  
There was an excited murmur in the court as they wondered over this brave, courageous, and loyal enchanter the king had found. Some even murmured of knowing his mother, though few recognized him.  
  
Treize smiled and turned to Wufei, who still stood in the middle of the court. "Well, Wufei, would you be pleased to accompany Quatre on his quest?"  
  
There was no way he would abandon Quatre, his little brother, even in the midst of danger. With a quick nod, he effectively shut down Treize's link to him and confirmed his choice to leave the king to follow his friend.  
  
Treize's smile was obviously forced as he glared frostily at his bodyguard. "Take care of my enchanter," the king said, his words a sugar-coated form of saying, 'if he dies, you will die in a heartbeat.'  
  
Wufei nodded, bowing as he did before he left to let the court get on to its daily business. He could handle his king's threats.  
  
Those eyes. They haunted him. He had forgotten things could haunt his mind. These did. He knew who they were supposed to belong to. And he had killed him. Or nearly did. The guard that had come not long after he had retreated had the aura of a healer. There was no doubt in his mind that the enchanter would be back up on his feet.  
  
"Take your mind off of it. It will do you no good."  
  
Heero turned his deep blue eyes to the aging man before him who was grinding a root in a mortar bowl. Sweat showed on his brow as he crushed it. Juice not quite dried from the plant made it harder, making his root a mush, not a powder he wished. A packet the size of his hand was mostly filled and Heero wordlessly took the bowl from his hands and ground it.  
  
"You messed up. That is a first time."  
  
"There was a healer that could heal him."  
  
"You hesitated."  
  
Heero fell back into reminiscing of the blue eyes that had stared at him in horror. The face was so familiar. It looked so much like . . . No. He would not think of it. His teacher told him not too.  
  
"Yes," Heero murmured. "He looked familiar. But it was the lack of light."  
  
There was a derisive snort from his teacher. "I doubt it. Never have I heard of a shadow having trouble of seeing in the dark. What did you see?"  
  
"You would know."  
  
His teacher gave him a glare. "Just because I can tell what you do does not mean I can see what you see," the man snarled. Heero ground on, not looking up or away. Odin was not one to push to his limits.  
  
"The Lady Catherine."  
  
"She has been dead for several years."  
  
"It was her face I saw on the boy enchanter."  
  
Odin tilted his head questioningly. "It might have been a trick of the light. The boy is dead." Heero ground on, not saying that the death was a rumor, that the boy had never been found. The power in that boy would have been enough to keep him alive by will alone, and when he aged enough, enough to keep him alive with theft before he had been found. He had heard the rumors, that the Loquacity king had finally found the one thing that had eluded him for years, an enchanter. Only a boy with that much power could be the new enchanter.  
  
"That's enough. Maybe you've been in the shadows too long, boy. The child may not have died, but it is highly unlikely that he had such a power. No one in his line ever had a power of such magnitude as is reported."  
  
"All the more reason to believe that it is him. Imagine, Odin, years and generations of power building in the reproduction until it all bursts out to be found in one, last, desperate descendent of the Winner line. It could bring the power that has been found in him."  
  
Odin gave him a wry grin. "And that is why there are so few of such power? All the power transfers without showing itself until it builds too much and boom, we have an extremely powerful enchanter on our hands. Is that what happened to your night-friend, Duo? His line built up until he was suddenly the recipient of such a power."  
  
"It is a worthy hypothesis."  
  
"Not all would see it that way."  
  
"Not all need see it that way."  
  
There was silence for a while, and then Odin sealed the packet and took another one, and opened it. Roots poured out of it and Heero wrinkled his nose at the stench. He knew it too well. He gave it a disgusted look before he pulled a second bowl from Odin's supply cupboard and started to grind the bitter root to a powder. This stuff was drier and powdered easily. Mother's Brow was bitter, and poisonous when breathed in, but only if it was a large amount inhaled.  
  
But drunken, it was the most powerful stimulant known to the desert traders and others who knew herbal lore. Heero had tasted its bitterness too much. Too much, he knew, would kill him.  
  
"I do not believe that His Kingship Treize would like his enchanter attacked. He would probably ask for someone to avenge their king."  
  
Heero shot him a look. "How would you know?"  
  
"You don't trust me."  
  
"You were my teacher," Heero muttered and Odin laughed.  
  
"And I taught you well. That is the way he thinks. Besides, I have my connections that will contact you when you take my place. They tell me things that you would not believe."  
  
"And what would you have me do of it?"  
  
"Double guard. Less sleep."  
  
"I have trouble staying awake as it is."  
  
"No you won't," Odin murmured and took the bowl he was working on and poured the powder into a packet. He measured the contents with a stare and prepared a cup of water.  
  
"It will kill me."  
  
"Not for a long time yet." Heero glared at Odin as he mixed the bitter powder into the water and stirred it carefully. The water-soluble root disappeared as Odin handed the cup to Heero. "Drink."  
  
Heero took the cup and raised it in a mocking toast to his teacher. "If my heart stops, don't keep me here."  
  
With that, he took a sip of the bitter water and swallowed without a grimace. The rest of the liquid followed the first sip to his stomach and the powder flowed from stomach to blood almost instantly. He took in a deep breath to steady his unexpectedly irregular heartbeat.  
  
When it became obvious to him that he was not going to die this time, he stood up and stalked out of the room, anger in his every bone. His teacher was giving him a deadly substance. It was going to kill him.  
  
Yet he was only the king's pawn.  
  
Growling, he tasted his mouth for the bitterness. It was gone. Just as swiftly as the bitterness appeared in his mouth, it was gone. He growled again and stiff legged it up the stairs to the sleeping quarters of the royal family.  
  
Heero nearly stormed past her room. Yet her grunts caught his attention and he slipped into her room without a sound. Her long blond hair fell down her back, yet a good amount of it was over her shoulder as she struggled with the corset around her bodice. Why women wore that choking device he would never know. Yet she was trying to get it off and he was available.  
  
Smirking in a feral way, he stepped behind her and gently loosened the strings. The princess cried out in surprise and turned, clutching the corset to her chest. She scowled at him, yet did not call for the guards as she would have with any other man.  
  
"Heero! Why do you scare me like that? Turn around while I get into my nightclothes." Heero obliged her, listening to her sighs of pleasure as she took off her restricting clothes. Finally, she tapped his shoulder and he turned around. He smiled slightly at her, a rare occurrence for him, and something he only gave her.  
  
She motioned to her bed and he sat on it as she did. "My friend," she murmured quietly. "How are you? How was your day?"  
  
Gomen, gomen! I know I'm going to hear it with putting Relena in there in that part. But she needs to be in there. . . But her part is not a huge change in the story. She's not a huge part.  
  
Not much to say here.  
  
ASK ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS!!!! I love to explain things.  
  
Teaser:  
  
Duo tensed as he felt a knife blade caress his chin and he backed up. "Um, hello Trowa. Sorry about that."  
  
Thanks for reading! PLEASE REVIEW!  
  
Kay Kylo 


	6. Calm Before the Storm

This is the time everything seems slow and doesn't seem to go anywhere. Isn't that how the wind feels before a storm comes? CHAPTER FIVE: CALM BEFORE THE STORM.  
  
(Deep breath to calm nerves) I do not own Gundam Wing.  
  
I still do not like the new QuickEdit thing or whatever it is.  
  
Sarcastic Pessimist: Who ever said they were paired? People can still be friends and be close, right? Right??? I certainly hope so. . . The kingdoms are both in English. Loquacity is the habit of talking too much, and Perdition is a terrible, irreplaceable loss. If you think about it, Loquacity can birth Perdition, which is how the story starts, right? It's just another theme I'm trying to show. Okay, on to the next topic, yes, lots of girls can seem preppy. (Shrug) I'm sorta out of it, so I'm only basing the definition of preppy on what my friend Artemis says and what those characters are like. But who doesn't like to look good, huh? (AHEM!! I don't! But I'm an odd girl, yep! )  
  
SORRY THIS IS LATE!!! Saturday, I had some cousin's over, and I didn't feel like getting on-line until they left, and then I was simply lazy. So I apologize. Humbly.  
  
[Ni lo tuyo ni lo mio]  
  
[El termino medio es la verdad]  
  
[Intenta convencerme, inclina la balanza]  
  
[La falta de interes me esta destrozando]  
  
[Dame algo en que pensar, para ir empezando]  
  
/Neither yours nor mine  
  
/The middle line is the truth  
  
/Try to convince me, incline the balance  
  
/The lack of interest is destroying me  
  
/Give me something to think about, for the beginning Ella Baila Sola (She Dances Alone)  
  
Quatre was free. Never in his life did he leave the small city that had been his home for fifteen years. And now he was dressed in clothing he was used to: thin, warm, comfortable, and durable. Those robes were too roomy for his tastes. Actually, as he thought of it, his clothing was similar to Wufei's now.  
  
But Wufei was complaining too loudly, and Quatre told him so very firmly. Traveling in this city at night was dangerous, and there was no need to add to it with noise. "Since when did you get to be such a master at these streets?"  
  
"I lived them," Quatre replied simply. "For fifteen years. All the light and dark of it." He took off the rope holding his hair in the mage's tail. He rustled his hair a bit and let it fall limply about his head. The look of shock on Wufei's face rivaled that of if Quatre had just dropped his pants. Quatre could not help but chuckle and beckoned him to follow. "I know these streets better than the castle. Only I was a mute then."  
  
Wufei trotted dutifully after, his eyes still wide with what he did. Several times Quatre was certain they were going to be attacked, but he quite firmly laid it upon the possible attackers' frail minds that they were certainly something to fight, and not simple travelers.  
  
It was the easiest traveling night he had known of all the time he had ever moved.  
  
At the city outskirts, he paused and waited for Wufei to catch up with him. "I see castle living has eased you," Quatre teased and Wufei frowned.  
  
"No more than it has to you. I'm just not used to running in cold air."  
  
Quatre was taken aback by the statement. "Cold? It is only pleasantly cool, I do believe."  
  
Wufei's face saddened. "You've known too many cold nights outside. Let's go."  
  
Quatre was forced to follow Wufei, for both knew he would be useless in leading the way until they arrived at the Perdition capital. The people traveling presently stopped around them and they were just two men, walking down the road as companions. The stars were out, and Quatre found himself noting the change from the last month. Wufei caught what he was looking at and looked up.  
  
"They are amazing," Wufei murmured.  
  
"They've moved. I heard sailors talking about how they change each night and each month. Yet there is one, the Tiera, that never moves and most base their positions off of her."  
  
"They move?" Wufei gasped. "I guess I've not been outside of the castle much."  
  
Quatre studied the sky, searching for the arrow that pointed to the direction star. Finally, he found it in the south and mentally, he drew a line across the sky and found it. "Right up there. The bright one that almost glows blue. That is Tiera."  
  
Wufei stared in wonder at the mass above them. "There are so many." Quatre blinked at Wufei and then understanding crossed his face. Wufei just had not seen them as much as he had. After many years of his ceiling of the night sky, Quatre found it to be simple and another part of the world as Wufei found a stone to be a part of the castle. Since there were torches that never went out in the King's halls, and he knew that the more light there was, the less stars he saw, Wufei must have never seen the stars as he had. Several times people with torches had come near his sleeping area and several stars had disappeared. It was simple observation, and he learned it because he had to.  
  
"So, we need to go south and cross the three rivers, Riscka, Verd, and Lulce. Then we'll practically be on top of the capital." Wufei stopped for a moment and glared around him. "Unfortunately, I have no clue of which way is south without the sun. So we'll have to wait until dawn."  
  
Quatre grinned. "Not unless you have a night dweller. I remember the sailors also saying Tiera is always to the east. South should be this way." Wufei stared at him blankly before he grinned. With a shrug, he led them down the farmland in the direction Quatre had shown.  
  
"Not so fast, young lady! Whores are not allowed in the barracks!"  
  
"But I know Trowa! And just so that you know, I am Middie Une, the daughter of Lord Une." A sharp laugh.  
  
"I'm sure kid. Come on, get out of here."  
  
Trowa shook his head and rounded the corner to find Middie fighting the two guards. Middie. A pretty girl, yet a suspicious one at that. He never quite trusted her, nor her father, but he would not turn his back on her. The poor thing thought she was the object of his desire. If only she knew better.  
  
"Oh, Trowa! Tell them to let me go!" Her pale hair flew around her head as she fought them. "Tell them who I am!"  
  
"Yeah, Silent. Is she the one she claims to be?"  
  
Trowa nearly touched the hilt of his sword, but thought against it. "I do not know. Why don't you go ask her father yourself?"  
  
One guard stared at him stupidly and let go of Middie. "You would know. You know everything."  
  
"Then certainly you would notice that she looks nothing like a whore. Put her in my custody and then we will go."  
  
The second stared at Middie and then frowned. "Fine. But only because you're the king's favorite."  
  
Middie giggled and wrapped her arms around his arm, clinging to him tightly. She looked up into his face and murmured a phrase in the desert tongue, "Un nariz moreno." Trowa frowned at her.  
  
"That's not nice," he muttered and led her out the barracks. "I thought you would know by now that I don't sleep in the barracks."  
  
"Then what were you doing in there?"  
  
Trowa shrugged and continued walking. There was a shout and Middie hid behind him suddenly. A stout man came running up, his face livid. "AND WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, MISS MIDDIE?" he screamed, looking about to explode.  
  
Trowa cleared his throat. "She was looking for me, Moriko, and she got caught with some guards. She's fine."  
  
Moriko took a deep breath and shook his head. "Your father would kill me if he knew you had wandered off again. So, you say nothing, and I say nothing, and we get you into your bed as soon as possible?"  
  
Middie pouted and clung tighter to his arm. Trowa rolled his eyes and shook her off easily. "Go with him," he commanded, and then strode off, leaving her standing there.  
  
Just because she had something for him did not mean he had something for her.  
  
Wufei managed to barter for a ride across the first two rivers, and Quatre found his amazement growing at the world outside the city. Water and stars and plains. Farmlands and, as Wufei told him, deserts outside the farmland. Seas were at the ends of the rivers. And there were other people beyond the deserts. Other lands.  
  
Suddenly, his world was smaller than he had ever imagined it to be. The river water had a salty tinge to it, as Wufei mentioned that sometimes, when the tide was high, the salty water from the sea would come up the rivers. It amused him to think of rivers flowing backward.  
  
Wufei was surprised at how easy it was to hide their identities. Quatre had been smart to remove the mage's tail. It hid him easier than many would expect. If any had been looking for him, it would have been with the tail.  
  
The third river Wufei did not barter for a way across, for a reason he did not understand. Wufei murmured something of recognition when Quatre had asked. But why would anyone recognize him? He was a street rat that the king had pulled up from the rubble. Why would anyone from a foreign country recognize him?  
  
Wufei did not answer him, but simply found a shallow fording spot, and they crossed. Though they were now wet, the sun was setting, and they were cold and without much food, Wufei seemed in higher spirits as they hiked further south. For Quatre, he had a growing sense of dread.  
  
"What is it I have to do again, Wufei?"  
  
Wufei turned to look at him as they walked down the road. "Avenge the wrong brought on you. If he cut your throat, cut his. It's as simple as that."  
  
Quatre frowned. "But the Perdition king did not cut my throat. That blue- eyed man did."  
  
"The king must have ordered it."  
  
"But he was not the one who did it."  
  
Wufei sighed sadly. "True, but Treize also does not want you to get injured, and the best way would be to get rid of the head of the attacker, not just the arm."  
  
Quatre could see the wisdom in it, but still did not think it was right, and told him so. Wufei chuckled and looked up at the stars, probably searching for Tiera. "Just like your mother."  
  
Quatre perked up instantly. "You knew my mother?" he cried excitedly. "What was she like?"  
  
Wufei stiffened and winced. "I don't, um, really remember her. I was just a child, you know. Fifteen years ago. And I was just a kitchen lad. I didn't know much of the King's favorites."  
  
Quatre stared at him and then looked at his feet. "You don't want to tell me, huh?" Wufei winced again and looked to the ground.  
  
"His Kingship told me not to. It was a slip of the tongue. Pretend I never said that." Quatre gave him a sad look before he attempted to smile. Wufei breathed out a sigh of relief and fake punched Quatre. Quatre looked at him in surprise before a sly grin spread over his face.  
  
What he did next could not really be described as vicious, but it was quite animal-like. He pounced, like a cat, and suddenly, the two were locked in a "deadly" combat to the "death." Their laughter rang through the soft hills of young crops before they stopped and lay still on the dirt.  
  
"So, what am I doing again?" Wufei promptly punched him again.  
  
Duo sighed contentedly and entered the warm kitchens. The meal for the evening was being prepared and he was hoping to con some meat off a spit from some of his favorite kitchen girls.  
  
And there they were, their hair falling over their faces as they kneaded bread, turned a spit, letting the bread rise, stirring soups. Duo leaned against the counter of one of the girls and smiled up at her with his roguish grin.  
  
"Well, hello Caty. Fancy seeing you here."  
  
'Caty' gave him a glare that could have mauled him in a heartbeat. "How many times have I told you to not call me that? My name is Catherine. I suggest you use it."  
  
Duo pouted in a fashion that would have put a spoiled brat to shame. "Come on, Caty. I'm not being a total jerk."  
  
"If you don't stop, I'm going to have to make you stop."  
  
"You couldn't touch me."  
  
"Yes, but my brother can."  
  
Duo tensed as he felt a knife blade caress his chin and he backed up. "Um, hello Trowa. Sorry about that."  
  
Trowa snorted and sheathed his blade. "Just don't do it again."  
  
The other girl looked up at them and shook her head. "You fools. He's probably just wanting some tiny piece of meat we burned too much."  
  
Duo threw her a grin that made her blush. "Ah, Hildi, you know me too well."  
  
Hildi tried to make her face serious, but he gave her a silly look and she giggled. "Duo, stop it!" Duo nodded sagely, pinched a piece of bread and practically danced out of the kitchens, a large grin on his face. "Darn that man, he is a lady's man to be sure."  
  
Catherine frowned and pushed a strand of hair out of her face, leaving a white flour streak. "I don't know. He's annoying to me."  
  
"He's a man," Hildi reprimanded. "Give him a chance."  
  
"He's less man than my brother," Catherine snapped. "And he's older than my brother." Hildi smiled at Trowa who looked abashed by her statement. He shifted his weight uncomfortably as some other kitchen wenches looked up, eyes wide with amazement.  
  
"Maybe. But he's not grown up in his mind, which makes him adorable."  
  
"Adorable. Yes. Lord Une's youngest child is adorable. The new whelps are adorable. Flitty's youngest colt is adorable. That word fits him."  
  
Hildi gave Catherine a sharp look and pounded the bread dough into the pile of flour, sending up a cloud of white as she muttered angry phrases beneath it. Catherine smiled and gave her brother a look. He shook his head and walked out of the kitchens, very much aware of the following stares of the other kitchen wenches.  
  
So peaceful, yes? Think of it like the calm before the storm.  
  
Un nariz moreno: Literally, a brown nose. Brown noser. That's the Desert Trader's tongue, and Trowa knows it. That's why he tells her it's not nice.  
  
Teaser:  
  
There was a flicker of flame in his mind and Duo carried himself back, staring at the blue fire that burned there. How strange. He knew he was becoming mesmerized, that he should pull away, but why? He could feel Helen suddenly inside his mind, scrambling to find him. But he was lost, lost in the blue flames. His eyes alight with something akin to fear, he turned their sightless depths to the door, where most of the lords were suddenly looking. A feral smile played on his lips. "He comes."  
  
Nothing more to say.  
  
Kay Kylo 


	7. Death Blow

The day a failure leads to a lot of pain. It's not fun to read, nor was it to write, especially for Quatre fans. (Ie: ME!!) **CHAPTER SIX: DEATH BLOW**.

SHOUT OUTS!! !!

****

Fairren: Don't worry about misinterpretations. I'm used to it at school. I'm afraid I'm not sure what you're asking, though. But as far as Quatre's mom goes, in the actual manga, Quatre was born naturally, but his mother knew she would die giving birth to him. She chose to die to bear Winner Senior's son, and she was, and I quote from Winner Senior, the "strongest and most noble of all." So he expects a lot of Quatre, and when Quatre first fought in a mobile suit (with the Maganacs!! ), Winner Senior labeled Quatre that. But in my story, there's a whole lot more to Lady Catherine's death. It'll be explained later on. Hee hee! There is an element of mystery in my story!!! Actually, let me check . . . You find out in. . . Chapter 9. I'm sure of it. So wait until then, and you'll find out what happened to Quatre's mom. (It's sad. (tear. . . ))

Eight more chapters left! Nearly done with my story!! (And then out comes another, that's set almost a millennium in the future in the same setting.)

Okay, as far as the "" and the "" and the "", etc, I'm trying new stuff to see if I can separate stuff in my texts. The Quickedit doesn't like long lines, so I'm trying new stuff. Sorry if it bothers you. Try to work with me . . . I hope those will show up. **I'm also trying a new save format. Tell me whatcha think!!**

If anyone could tell me how to work the Quickedit, I would greatly appreciate it. In other words, I'm pathetic and don't know how to work it.

****

If my explanations are not enough, I love to answer personal questions!!!

I have no idea how many lawyers will read this, so just in case, I do not own Gundam Wing.

****

One more question. Then you can read the story. How does one pronounce "Treize"? It's really important in another one of my stories. I'm thinking it's "Treez", but I'm not sure. Could someone tell me the right way?

"Temper is the one thing you can't get rid of by losing it." Jack Nicholson in "Anger Management".

Wufei had put it off as long as he could, trying to find some way to hide it. But the more he imagined a way to hide Quatre's face, the more he found it was impossible. Dirtying him would not block the eyes, and a hood was too obvious. He just looked too much like his mother.

"This place is so huge, Wufei!" Quatre cried, amazement in his tone as he looked up at the tall buildings of Perdition's capital. Wufei winced as several people looked his way, but many just shook their heads and continued. The rest just stared a bit longer and then moved on.

Maybe it was just luck that the Winner family was from the far north, and the children of Lord Winner would not be a common sight. But once they reached the palace, there would be trouble. Certainly the guards would know Lady Catherine.

'Do not tell him his heritage, Chang.' The warning rang in his head and Wufei glared at the dirt beneath his feet. Treize had given him that warning just before they left, and Wufei was not going to go against it. He knew what could come with the truth of his past. Betrayal. Loss of his friend.

Wufei glanced up at Quatre's blond head, bouncing on the dirt path with an energy only a teenager could have. Wufei chuckled lightly and stared at him. His hair. It was too long. It looked like he could have had a mage tail, which he did. It would have to be cut.

He found a shepherd in a heartbeat and demanded a hair cut. Quatre had been astonished to say the least, but with the shorter hair hugging his head, he looked much more the peasant. (1)

There was nothing left to do except for confronting the king.

Yet another boring discussion. Duo rustled his robes impatiently. What was the reason for trade prices? It was almost as if a war was being fought, without words or swords. Glaring at the table, Duo slowly opened his mind to whatever the river of life brought him. A woman was washing her baby, cooing to it under her breath. A man was yelling at a stubborn donkey, calling it what it was. A wench was entertaining several men at a bar, and was definitely going to have several tips. And far away, a desert trader leaned over his camel's neck, taking a bolt of fabric to bring to the south, to sell in the cheapest of trade prices.

"Trader's coming, looking for the cheapest," Duo muttered and then faded back into the river. He could hear his boy relaying the words and then it was all lost. Strange how simple life was to the peasantry. A farmer plowing his field. A woman yelling at her children.

There was a flicker of flame in his mind and he carried himself back, staring at the blue fire that burned there. How strange. He knew he was becoming mesmerized, that he should pull away, but why? He could feel Helen suddenly inside his mind, scrambling to find him. But he was lost, lost in the blue flames.

His eyes alight with something akin to fear, he turned their sightless depths to the door, where most of the lords were suddenly looking. A feral smile played on his lips. "He comes."

The wave of power that crashed into his senses nearly threw him from his mind as the door was suddenly thrown open, a boy that he knew standing there. The boy with power. The boy with so much power Duo looked like a whimpering babe. Yet he could sense the boy knew only how to use half of it. He could sense the shock from the courtesans, and he forced his mind to come out of the trance.

What his eyes fell upon caused him to utter an exclamation. "By the river, it's him!"

Those eyes were unmistakably a Winner's eyes. Only the Winner children had Catherine's eyes. Yet they could not be. Hatred of a sort he could not encounter was burning deep in them.

"You killed me."

The statement caused the courtesans to run off, all except for the heart-broken Lord Winner, who was watching his son with something in family to awe. The king only stared at the boy, a look of bemused surprise on his face. "Oh, did I?"

This only seemed to anger the boy, and he lifted his head, baring his throat for all the world to see. A scar, thin and red, angry and still raw, was there, etched into his body for all eternity. "Caused by your decrees."

The king smirked. "I asked not for you to be killed. It must have been a mistake."

The boy smirked in return. It nearly caused Duo to cringe. The Winner's face was a face for a loving look, not the mocking grin that covered it now. "Avenge a wrong for a wrong. You cut my throat. Now, it is time for yours."

A blast of power burst out at Darlian, but Duo easily blocked it without moving. He got to his feet and waited as the boy let his anger build. Duo closed his eyes and then opened them, finding the color of powers. Green was beside the king, looking like it was ready to kill. Blue covered the boy, and Duo could not doubt it was the same one. The green leapt, and suddenly, a black powered man appeared out of nowhere, blocking the attack.

Duo quickly changed his sight back to normal vision. Trowa was fighting the black powered man, and Duo could see the same face that he had seen before only in his mind. A powerful man, a warrior fully trained. As was Trowa. The clash of the warriors was something indeed to watch. Black battled green as power was thrown into their attacks, making the fight all the more dangerous.

The boy was huddled in a corner, wincing as he held a bleeding hand to his chest. It did not look too bad, just a scratch, but it probably still hurt if Trowa had thrown power into it. The fight was growing fiercer, and suddenly, Duo saw their swords catch. Neither could overpower the other, yet both tried to do so.

Duo gasped when he saw a build of power growing in Trowa. He would not dare attack like that! It could kill him and the others in the room. Duo threw up a shield around him and the king and his children, remembering belatedly to add Winner to the mix. (2)

The power built up, growing to fill his mind. A small bubble floated from his arms up, and suddenly, everything exploded. The warrior was thrown back, his sword broken and his face bloody.

"WUFEI!"

The boy was on his feet, moving remarkably fast for being wounded. His arms cast out and a shield caught the warrior and settled him down, and the boy threw himself at Trowa.

Duo nearly jumped into the fight to stop him, but he knew it would only get him killed, whether in an attack or in a trial for treason. He felt anger that the Potential could just die like this, but he resigned to it.

Trowa had no doubts about killing the obvious Winner heir and brought his sword down upon the boy's outstretched hand.

The sword bounced back.

Duo stumbled back under the blow that was cast about the room in an attempt to throw it away. The boy was battle trained? How? Who?! When?!! Why. . . ? How?!!

"BATTLE TRAINED?" he screamed, before he cast the shield stronger. Trowa threw his sword down again, and the boy caught in it his hands. The sword was stuck and though Trowa obviously tried, he could not bring it back from the grip. Power surrounded the sword and the boy's grin returned. The power both kept the sword together and, as Duo could see from even that distance, was destroying it. The look of horror filling Trowa's normally emotionless face told Duo just how strange it was to find that.

The boy held it tight, and suddenly, he dropped his hands. The sword disintegrated. The boy screamed a word in a tongue he did not know and then light filled the room, so bright Duo could not see.

A moment later it faded, and the boy and the warrior were gone.

Wufei hurt. Somewhere between his pain and the power that was still pounding his head, he knew he was being moved. Where, he had no clue. But if he could find out who . . .

Desperately, he opened his eyes. Light filled them and he closed them quickly, moaning. There was a sudden cry of surprise and he felt the ground beneath him. Funny, but he did not remember the feeling of being carried. Only the feeling of moving.

"Where am I?"

"Outside of Perdition. Oh, my head hurts. Rasid told me to never use that unless it was a necessity, but I think that this time it was. How are you?"

Even if he had not recognized the voice, he would have known who it was. "I'm fine Quatre. Just hurting."

"I failed, Wufei. Do you think His Kingship will be too angry?"

Wufei could sense the waves of fear rolling off of his friend and he attempted a smile. "Nah. You tried, and you sure as anything scared those people out of their wits. Come on, get me up."

"No way. He hit you good. You are not moving until I am certain you're fine."

Wufei settled back down, wondering that it was so soft. He had not felt grasses this soft in a long time. He let out a satisfied sigh and curled up next to Quatre, falling asleep quickly.

Even if he was tired enough to sleep, he would not have been able to. Every one in the castle and city knew of it within several hours. Within a week, everyone in Perdition ought to know what happened.

The king was attacked in broad day light in his own castle. The king had mercifully lived, yet the attackers had disappeared without a trace. The enchanter had talked of it to several hired shadows and said he had felt the power before it came, but he could not warn them of it because it had entranced him so much.

Heero was not sure what to think. Duo had been entranced by a power greater than his own, drawing him like a moth to a light. When Heero had broken his rules of staying hidden, he had questioned Duo's teacher, who told him she had felt him disappear inside his mind, as if he had left himself and yet had left no grounder. It scared him more than he could imagine.

How could this enchanter, well trained and disciplined, throw it all away with one brush of a huge power? Heero was troubled, but when he doubled his guard, he did not think on it. He had too much to think of to begin with.

Wufei was hurting more than anything he had ever imagined. Even getting attacked with that power hurt less than this. He could feel a small amount of pain proportional to what Quatre was feeling through their link, and he could do nothing.

Treize narrowed his eyes again and Quatre winced, his knees weak and holding him only because Treize willed him to stand. Wufei felt the sharp jab of pain as Quatre started gasping again. The court only watched. It was punishment for failing, and Wufei felt a guilty stab. Quatre's sharp breaths ragged at his throat, and Wufei could feel his own breaths catch.

Treize pulled at another mental torture string and Quatre cried out, his legs shaking in pain. Wufei felt tears start and he lowered his eyes. How could his king do this to this child? Quatre was only a teenager. He was only fifteen. How could he hurt him like this?

He felt Quatre's breaths stop altogether and he looked up in fear. Quatre was starting to lose his consciousness and Wufei knew what would happen then. He would be called weak and he would be beaten physically instead of mentally.

He felt his rage building and pain ripped at his mind. Shaking with rage, he rebuked Treize with all he had. The power of his mental slap threw his king back in his throne and dropped Quatre to the ground.

"Chang."

Wufei looked up, not at all regretting what he had done. "Yes, My King?"

"Did you just rebuke me?"

Wufei thought. That would be the word for what he did. "Yes." (3)

"Why?"

"He is just a child. It was not his fault he missed the king. Besides, the king did nothing to him. It was his assassin. Why attack the king to avenge himself when he was not the first to make a mistake?"

Treize looked furious. "You think that this discipline is wrong?"

This time Wufei lost control of his rage. "Discipline? Discipline! This is torture! Discipline tells the child what he did wrong, but does not hurt him in such a way!"

Treize's face suddenly softened. "True. But now I fear that you have done a wrong. You have said the king is wrong. Is the king ever wrong? He has divine right. Now, fear the king's wrath."

Wufei took a deep breath, knowing it would be his last. But if he could have bought time for Quatre . . . It was now clear to him that Quatre was not safe in Loquacity. He cared not one iota for his king, especially seeing the complete pain he had inflicted on his friend. Maybe he could send one last message to Quatre. A picture of his mother, a piece of his heritage. It was all he could leave him.

Wufei felt the power at the end of his link to the king, the link that was created between bodyguard and king when the guard was initiated. This blow would be the first of that king, and the last. The death blow.

He waited. The power built and he felt his chest clench in anticipation. Suddenly, he felt a warm presence in his mind and a soft smile. A link of friendship, a touch of brotherly love, and then, his mind was totally blocked from all links as the presence surrounded him.

He looked up in shock and fear at Quatre. "No! QUATRE!"

There was a sharp blow, yet he felt none of it. Quatre suddenly shot upright, and a seizure ran up his body, snapping his neck dangerously, before he crumpled.

Wufei stood, shocked. He was numb. His friend was dead. Killed for him. No. It could not be. There was no way he could be. Quatre was strong. He could not be killed so easily. It had to be a mistake.

The presence was gone. His link was hard to touch. It burned in mental pain, and Wufei began to walk to Quatre's still form. His hands were trembling as he reached down to touch Quatre's throat, hoping to find a pulse. Before he could touch it, Treize's voice rang out and arms jerked him back, pulling him away. Two other guards were taking him, and he had yet to find if he was really dead.

Wufei fought. He was a demon to fight, and he knew it. There was a reason he had been chosen as the king's guard. He managed to get one arm free to knock one guard senseless before a sharp blow left him reeling and easy game for the rest of the guards.

Important stuff incase anyone asks. These are just notes, mainly to refresh one's memory or something along those lines. Or simply to explain it. If this is not enough, I love to answer personal questions!!!

(1) So, Quatre now looks like himself. Before it was about to his chin, and before that, waist or longer.

(2) Just to make sure you remember, the head (in this world) has destructive powers with enchanter and soldier powers, so, when Trowa was pulling his power into his head, he was getting ready to throw out destructive power. Get it? It's in chapter, um, 2, near the bottom. Here it is: "Slowly, the power started to move, from his limbs to his torso, to his head, where Wufei knew destructive powers lay."

(3) Okay, so to make this understandable, Wufei uses his power, but does not put words to it. Unfortunately, I have to describe it for you, and so use the words that he would use if he put words to it. Does that make sense?

Teaser:

Helen glared at him as he came back to his body, a grin on his face. "What do you think you're doing, Duo? He's powerful and an enemy."

"Who suffered under that who he trusted. He's a child as well. He's easily influenced." Helen's face hardened even more.

"You sound just like Treize."

Thanks for reading! Come again! REVIEW PLEASE!!

Kay Kylo


	8. Running

Got away, and trying to keep away. CHAPTER SEVEN: RUNNING.

SHOUT OUTS!!! Even if I only get one review a chapter, I'm happy. I know someone's reading this!!

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Sarcastic Pessimist: Thanks for the review again! And thanks for the info, so I'm just going to assume it's wrongly-pronounced with "Trees" and just roll with it. (Since no one else bothered to help me . . . **Fumes quietly**) Oh, and I think "Quatre" is based off the French "4". Also, if you really dislike Treize, then I am doing my job. Want to know something funny? In my computer's spelling thing, it believes "Treize" should be "Trees". Maybe that's where I thought it was pronounced that way.

Okay, Quickedit hates me. I'm trying another thing. Whenever you see a triple quote ("""), you have a change. Let's see if Quickedit will say no to that!

MUAHAHAHAHAHA! I own it! J/K. I write FANfiction. I do not own Gundam Wing.

"""

Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. -Eric Hoffer

"""

Duo felt the blow through that mysterious link with the enchanter, and for the first time, he wished he did not have it. He had been walking down the corridors of the castle when the blow had burst through his link, throwing him into the wall. It sent seizures up his body, causing his head to snap against the wall several times.

But the mental pain was terrible. He could only imagine what the boy was feeling, and suddenly, he felt the first pity he had ever experienced for the boy. Ever since the attack, he had only pity for the father, whose broken heart had broken even more. They had found him dead in his bed, poison putting a quiet and yet terrible end to him. Yet now, he felt pity for the boy. Who would do this?

So that was what he had been feeling before. Mental torture. Duo felt rage fill his being. Mental torture had to be the most terrible thing anyone ever did to someone. And here they were attacking this boy.

Using his physical pain as a grounder, he once again threw himself down that link and found the mind completely open, helpless and broken. Duo quickly gathered what was left of it and put it into a readable pattern. Happiness. For what? For helping a friend. The blow had been meant for someone else. And he had chosen to give himself to protect him. And there was love. Love to his brother, that warrior. The open mind brought his name easily. Wufei. And this enchanter? Quatre.

'Who did this to you?'

He did not expect a response, considering the mind was torn asunder by the torture and then the blow. Yet a picture quickly formed in the mind, and Duo felt his throat clench, or it would have if he had a physical body. The king, the one who treasured this boy. He had attacked him. 'Why?'

The mind stirred itself and tried to put walls around him. 'Stop it. I'm trying to help.' The mind stopped and wearily rested.

'I failed.'

Duo held all his mental processes, hoping that maybe he had heard right. 'I failed to kill your king.' He had been right.

'Well, it doesn't matter now. You need to rest. I'll watch your body for you.'

Wariness. 'Why do you care for me?'

'Brother Enchanter, we have our own kind, and I would put my kind about my king.' There was a bolt of surprise before it faded to acceptance. Slowly, it faded into being and then was silent. Duo quietly put a bit of his being in the body that would return when the mind was strengthened again and he drew out of the mind. (1)

Four anxious faces watched him and he smiled back up at Helen, Trowa, Darlian, and the kitchen wench Hildi. "I think we have a new ally."

"""

Wufei awoke to find Quatre sleeping quietly beside him. He nearly brushed it off as a dream right away, but he paused when he saw the weakened glow around Quatre, as if he was falling away. Besides, the dungeons were not a typical place for him to wake up.

He brought out a hand to touch Quatre's face and Quatre's eyes opened sleepily. Wufei felt a wave of relief flow over him and he could not help but chuckle. Suddenly, he felt giddy and he sat up, though he paused when he felt his wound pound.

"We need to get out of here."

Quatre nodded and closed his eyes. "And I know where to go."

"Where? I couldn't get across the Deserts at all."

Quatre's eyes opened slowly. "Perdition of course."

Wufei felt a small bit of surprise as he stared at the boy. Surely he had lost his mind. "They'd kill you."

"No. Their enchanter will protect me."

Wufei stared at Quatre openly, disgust at his obviously crazy mind showing. "There is no way under the sun or in the river that they would let you stay with them, especially after what you did. And I doubt that the enchanter would even remember you in a good sense."

Quatre smiled and flicked Wufei's nose playfully. "Yes, but he promised me that he would put his kind above his king."

"Impossible."

"He saved me, Wufei. He kept me from falling apart and letting me rest. He saved my life." Wufei was shaking his head now in disbelief. "He even told me that he owed much of his power to me. Remember that wave? He got hit too and it gave him some of my powers and linked us."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Quatre smiled and closed his eyes. There was a soft tug on his mind and Wufei gave his mind into Quatre's care. There he could see four links to other minds. Each glowed with their power. Wufei turned and saw his own link, black and strong. Rasid's was painted dark brown, and Treize's was still raw, but glowed in the evil-colored red Treize had. Yet in the corner he could see another. This one was strong, and yet was established by neither of the ones connected. It had just been connected. This glowed a violet blue that made Wufei shake. The blue was Quatre's. The violet was beyond a doubt the Perdition enchanter's power.

Wufei withdrew from Quatre's mind and gasped in disbelief. "I don't believe this."

Quatre frowned and sat up. "Do I need to show you again?"

"No, but it's just so hard to understand and see!"

"But he's been there for a while, why I do not know, but I'm glad that we're connected."

"So that's what that was when we saw that power trying to get into your mind. He was trying to open your mind because he wanted to know who it was that he was linked to."

Quatre shrugged. "Possibly. So, how are we getting out?"

Wufei screwed up his face in thought and stared at the door of their cell and fell silent. Quatre sat and watched him, curiosity filling him at what Wufei would think of. There was a soft brush against his mind and Quatre quickly answered it, gentle and soothing. There was a relieved and tear-stained feeling that crossed his mind and Quatre gently gave Rasid a mental hug. There was another brush and Rasid disappeared, fear left behind. (1)

It was not Treize as Rasid had obviously feared. 'You seem better.'

'I am. Thank you.'

'It was no problem at all.'

'I just realized that I do not know your name.'

'Duo, Quatre. Just call me Duo. What are you doing?'

'Trying to find a way out of this cell. Then we can come join you.'

'That might be dangerous. How could you get out of there without being seen? Maybe you could do that teleportation enchantment you did in my court.'

'Can't. It hurts too much.'

'Still exhausted?'

'What would you think?' He added a bit of resentment to his mind and Duo slid back, apology filtering in. 'It's okay, I guess. Do you have any ideas?'

There was a sharp bit of humor and Quatre waited. 'When I first felt you, I thought you had died, because of the sharpness of your blow. Send out a physical attack. Knock the door off its hinges.'

'Too much noise.'

"How about knocking the door out?" Wufei said, not turning to look at him.

"I just told you, too much noise."

Wufei turned to give Quatre a sharp look. "I heard not a word from you this whole time, and I don't remember speaking."

Quatre blushed as he realized his mistake. "Sorry Wufei. I just happened to be telling Duo the same thing."

"Duo?"

"The enchanter."

'Melt the lock.'

'I don't know how.'

'Let me help you.'

Wufei watched in a sort of awe as the blue eyes suddenly closed and then opened to show that their blueness turned violet-blue. "Just watch this, Warrior," Quatre said, his voice somewhat deeper. There was a soft murmur and then his power grew in his hands, into a small ball of pure power. He touched the lock of the door, and then the hinges and the metal on the bottom of the door.

Wufei quickly pushed the door open while it was hot and turned to stare at Quatre. His eyes were back to normal, and he was staring at his hands in shock. "How did he do it?"

"If I knew, I would have told you already," Wufei muttered angrily. "Come on."

"""

Helen glared at him as he came back to his body, a grin on his face. "What do you think you're doing, Duo? He's powerful and an enemy."

"Who suffered under that who he trusted. He's a child as well. He's easily influenced." Helen's face hardened even more.

"You sound just like Treize."

Duo stared at her in shock before he looked away in shame. "Feo. You're right, Helen. I'm sorry. It's just that he's got so much power that he could be the strongest enchanter I have ever encountered. I get a little carried away."

"And that was Treize's downfall. How powerful is he?"

Duo stared at his hands, as if willing them to have the power he had experienced for a moment. "Enough to be a strong Binder if trained right."

Helen was silent. "A binder," she murmured softly. "That's amazing. The last binder burned his power out of him."

Duo looked at her in curiosity. "Who is this binder?"

"A man. Supposedly, he was related to the royal bloodline of Loquacity, but once he was taken into the Loquacity court, his power just disappeared. Since it's never come back, I'm certain that he burned it out," Helen explained. Duo made an interested sound and leaned back in his bed. "I can feel that enchanter everyday, you know."

Duo opened an eye to peer at her. "Of course. You're more sensitive than me with the daily pulsing."

Helen gave him a sly grin. "That's the only way I know you don't kill yourself every night. So, are you feeling better?"

"It was just a snap against the wall. I'll be fine, Helen."

"Sally is still coming by to check on you. Being flung around like that is not good for your health."

"Yeah. Imagine the kid who actually got hit."

This seemed to silence her and she leaned back in her chair, exhausted. "You'll have to keep the guards from killing him. The last thing they remember of him is blowing them aside with his power."

Duo nodded solemnly. "I'll keep an eye on him. So, when's Sally coming in?"

"A couple hours."

Duo settled back for a nap when a sharp knock made both jump. "Wha?"

A pretty face peered in, her brown hair twisted into a different hairstyle. She smiled at Duo and slipped in. "Hello Duo. I had some free time and thought I'd drop by early. How are you feeling now?"

Duo snorted and sat up quickly without dizziness. "Just fine. Will you leave me alone now?" Sally smiled at him and exchanged looks with Helen. Without saying anything else, she moved over and started to examine him. Grudgingly, he let her poke and prod, listen and tap, until he was entirely sick of it. "Can you tell I'm fine now? Are you done?"

Sally smirked at him and packed up her things. "Only you can make a fuss over a scratch and dance around a dangerous wound." Duo thumped his chest and smiled back.

"That's me."

"""

The first time he had been in the city, he had been on a mission to kill a king. Now, he was running from one.

Getting out of the castle had been easy -too easy in his mind. Maybe Treize had given up on them and let them go. Maybe he had no clue of where they intended to go. Or maybe he was just biding his time to strike. As it was, they got over the border easily enough and were quite quickly in the capital of their enemy.

He was glad for Wufei's presence beside him. The closer he got to the castle, the more he feared he was walking into a trap. Was this enchanter truly willing to help him? Or was it another misplaced trust as he had done with Treize? He feared Treize like never before. The power behind that deathblow was terrible, and he could think that quite possibly Treize had more power than he let on.

Quatre slipped into his mind and examined the link he had with Treize. Established in their first contact and made to last. Even if he knew how to destroy links, he doubted that would be enough to break it.

Quatre paused in his walk and stared intently at his link. It burned, red and fiery, like it did just before he let loose his anger. He must know by now that they were gone. It would take little to catch them as well.

He was awoken from his thoughts by a shout. His head shot up to see Wufei being attacked by some big thugs. Yet he saw only a glimpse before the thugs disappeared into an alley, and the people of the market could only glance around wildly for the source.

Quatre did not wait a moment. His legs jumped to obey him as he dashed to the alley, anger and his power making his speed extraordinary. He slid to the entrance and called his power to answer him, to attack the minds of the men attacking his friend.

What answered him was a slap of pain, coming from the raw link connecting him to Treize. He cried out in shock and some ruffians jumped him. A fist connected with his abdomen and he stumbled under the blow. Another blow of mental pain hit him and he reeled, pain in both areas causing his mind to panic.

When he opened his eyes again, a big, brutish face was staring at him. Mental pain seeped into his mind from his link with Wufei and he struggled with his hyperventilating lungs. "So, thought you'd try to get away from your fate?"

Quatre struggled weakly, but it was ended by a strong blow to his head. He curled up against the wall, trying to get a hold of his body. It was impossible; his mind was too frantic to control anything. A kick came to his back as a mental blow came. He cried out one last time before he let his mind loose of its constraints and gave his body up for lost.

"""

Sorry, sorry, once again, a cliffhanger. The next chapter will be out soon. (One week)

(1) Okay, let's see if I can explain THIS one. So, powerful enchanters like Duo and Quatre can communicate with words, but with the less powerful, they need to use emotions to communicate. Duo probably could communicate with Helen (she was almost an enchanter, but did not have power enough to make the test, so is not an enchanter) with words, but it tires her. That's why Quatre answered Rasid with an emotion, and spoke to Duo in his mind. And before you even ask, yes, I know, this is contradicted by Wufei and Treize in the court scene, but Treize and Wufei have been linked for a very long time, and their link is extremely strong, so he can communicate short messages. When Wufei spoke then, it was really Treize speaking through him, using his body as a way to speak. That way, Wufei's voice would have sounded a little different. Did that make any sense or was I babbling?

Feo: Literally, ugly. Duo's using it as an oath here, calling his actions ugly. Desert Trader's tongue. (Or, it is here. Changing it eventually. . . )

Poor Quatre. I seem to be good at beating him up.

Teaser:

"""

He could not save the boy without getting rid of the link. The boy did not want the link to be broken. He would need to get down that link. That meant letting go of it all. Duo knew the danger of it. The danger of letting his mind out of his body without a grounder. He might not ever get back.

"""

I love reviews. They keep me going in the hard weeks. Need to go type my second story now. TATA!

==Kay Kylo


	9. Winner Lands

Ever wonder what your parents will leave you? It's sad to think that way, but some people do have to think that way. (Sniffle) CHAPTER EIGHT: WINNER LANDS.

Shout outs!! I know I have at least one faithful reviewer!! Thanks Fairren!!

****

Fairren: Sorry that one was too short. This one's a bit longer. That's the way I pronounce Quatre too, only without the "u". The way I say it is Katch-ra. (The "ch" is really fast so only when I slow it down do I hear it. (Okay, I need to stop thinking about linguistics)

**Still for Fairren!!:** Okay, about the next fic. I'm not even sure I really want to post it. It's way, way, way (maybe too many "way"s) OOC. But there are some parts I do like. But it set nearly a millennium after this story, and it's set north of the Deserts that are to the north of Perdition and Loquacity. Grist is a long strip of land bordered on the south by the mountains of the Mitselo, vicious winged folk that live high in their domain. The rest is sea, and as Britain is to Europe in the naval department in the 1800's, so is Grist to the Continent. The only problem is, pirates have been raiding their shores. The story starts with the loss of the Northern Desert Lord, who was only three when he was kidnapped, never to be seen by his people again. Fifteen years later, a lord of an area of Grist near the Southern Mountains dies, and his son (who had also been kidnapped at five, or so the stories go) shows up and takes over. He brings a woman he claims is his wife. Also, a new king takes over in the Pirates, claiming the servants and spies of the original king. To boot, an innocent ship is taken by this new king, and the pirate threat is bigger than before. Three years pass, and Grist manages to capture the sibling to the pirate king and decide to bring her to the place they call Prison Island. Not a lot needed to know about that place, only that it exists. A thief is captured near the mountains; he has obvious Desert Trader heritage, and then the young lord of the mountains joins the ship where a young lieutenant is getting started on his career on the Prisoner ship. Mix it all together, and that is one very long summary. Enough of an idea?? (My fingers hurt . . . --;;)

I found that this (""") works to separate stuff, so that's what I'm doing now on. Quickedit can't hate that!!

I own a total of five DVD movies, three anime, one manga, and a huge amount of books and paraphernalia. I would not hide it if I owned Gundam Wing. I do not own it. Got it?

"""

I'll tell you how the sun rose: one ray at a time. -Emily Dickinson

"""

Last time:

"""

Quatre struggled weakly, but it was ended by a strong blow to his head. He curled up against the wall, trying to get a hold of his body. It was impossible; his mind was too frantic to control anything. A kick came to his back as a mental blow came. He cried out one last time before he let his mind loose of its constraints and gave his body up for lost.

"""

The mental pain hit his mind suddenly, yet he was not thrown as before. Maybe that was because he had been in a padded area, cushions all around him. Fear filled his mind, and panic, but he easily pushed it aside.

"Helen!" he cried suddenly, getting to his feet. "Call Helen!" His boy disappeared instantly and Duo slipped down the link creating the panic, holding a part of him back in his mind to ground him.

Never before had he seen the mind in such a panic. When his mind had been blasted apart, the boy had some calm to him. This time, his mind was falling apart, and his body was failing quickly. The mental pain and panic was causing his heartbeat to become irregular and his breaths to come shorter and shallower. Duo tried to send a feeling of calm to the boy, but it had no effect. Panic was taking over quickly.

He found the source of the mental pain quickly. A link was leaking red power, the crimson of blood that mixed in his mind, starting to fill it with pain. Duo knew he could not break the link. Not now. He had his mind only half in his body.

A questioning thought appeared in his own mind. He sent a relieved thought to Helen and quickly used her as a grounder and threw his entire being down the link. With a sharp slap, he broke it and the red power fled, like smoke in a wind. He tried to surround the mind with his calm, yet panic was still there. Panic for his body. Panic for the red power. Duo searched the mind wildly, and found another link. This one leaked the red power as well, yet not as much. He reached his willpower to break it, but there was a slap of rage from the boy's mind. Even panicked, he knew what he wanted. Duo sat for a moment, regaining his senses before the mind settled him straight.

He could not save the boy without getting rid of the link. The boy did not want the link to be broken. He would need to get down that link. That meant letting go of it all. Duo knew the danger of it. The danger of letting his mind out of his body without a grounder. He might not ever get back.

He sent an apologetic feeling to Helen and one of reassurance. He got only a confused reply. Duo let go of his grounder and found himself totally in the boy's mind. He felt Helen grasping around desperately, yet he knew she would find nothing. He prayed she would keep his body alive until he returned.

He wasted no time to throw himself down the link, using the boy as a grounder, and found a darkened mind, walls keeping him from seeing most of it. The red power was breaking it, and he could see pain in some parts of his life, his past. The mind sent a hate-filled feeling at him before it cast some light around itself.

There. The link to the red power was in the back of the mind. He sent it a sharp jab and the power disappeared like a wave on the sand, retreating with roar, but did not come back. There was a feeling of gratitude and Duo returned to the boy. (1)

He was calmer now, but too weak to do anything to protect his body.

Duo quickly pulled his mind in front of the boy and opened his eyes. The men who were attacking him were not using just fists, and he hated it with all in him. Quatre was in Perdition and did not find safety.

Though Quatre was powerful, he could not use all his power. He had not been trained sufficiently. Duo knew how. He called it to his summon and the power healed the battered body in a heartbeat by pure power. Filling the fist with a ball of power, he attacked the nearest body and a man flew backward, his body impacting against the wall of the alley with a sickening crack.

Duo stood the body on its feet and glared at the remaining men. To his side, he could see the companion, Wufei, getting to his feet, his sword drawn to fight again. "Quatre? Your eyes."

Duo let the body smile. "I am not Quatre. Quatre knew how to use a little less than half of his power. I know how to use it all." The thugs stared at him in shock and then started to back up.

"Your eyes!" one man shouted. "You're the enchanter!" Duo smirked and stepped forward.

"Yes. Did you hear about how I destroyed the treason that started? I killed all but one. Without much trouble at all." The thugs started to walk backward. "Get out of here, and if you touch this boy or his companion again, I will kill you both."

They were gone quickly. Duo turned the body to see Wufei, his body strained and tired, but elated. "You saved his life. Our lives."

Duo pictured the smile of the Winner family and let the body show it. Wufei gasped and looked away. "Don't do that," he snapped. "He looks exactly like her."

Duo was about to ask, but he felt a persistent tug at his mind and laughingly gave the body to Quatre. Quatre came out, elation obvious on his stance. "He saved us, Wufei! I knew we could trust him!" Wufei smiled and sheathed his dirty sword. Suddenly, Duo found the boy's face implanted in Wufei's chest, and he knew that if he had had a body, he would have blushed.

'I need to get back to my body.'

'I can help you.'

Quatre surrounded him as Duo had done not long before. What he grounded himself on, Duo did not know, but without a single shake, he was suddenly back in his own body. Duo took in a deep breath that his body had not had for a while. His heart started, and Duo felt a wave of relief. He had not been gone for too long.

His eyes opened, and he found Helen crying over his body. "Um, Helen?"

The older woman screamed and jumped back. "DUO MAXWELL! I will kill you!" she yelled, tears running down her face. "Don't ever do that to me again!" Duo felt guilt hit him and he sat up and gathered her shaking body to his chest. "I thought you had killed yourself! Why would you just drop it all?"

Duo rubbed her back encouragingly. "I was helping someone. That boy's almost here. I tried to warn you; I'm sorry." Helen's sobs quieted and she just sat in his arms. He leaned her back and wiped her eyes dry. "I doubt that once he gets here that I'll need to do that any more."

There was shouting in the hall and then his door was thrown open. Sally burst in, her eyes wide in horror. She took in the scene and then breathed before she began to laugh. "That's the third time Maxwell," she muttered. "The third time you nearly killed yourself."

"He gave me each and every one of these gray hairs," Helen snapped, fingering a graying lock of blond hair. "If I survive to old age, it'll be a miracle."

Duo gave her a wily grin. "Oh, you aren't there yet?" She slapped his arm and laughter burst out in the room where tears had been shed so much earlier.

"""

Quatre was feeling more anxious as time went on, and he and Wufei found themselves just before the gate. And yet, he found more power in him than ever before. Wufei had mentioned twice that he looked like he was glowing. He guessed it was the power that Duo had called upon, breaking a dam in his mind, opening a hole in the entire wall that hid his total power.

There were a few guards at the walls, and they saw him instantly. They shouted and he found his power rising in answer as if to a challenge. Wufei drew his sword to defend them if necessary.

It was. At least a score of guards came rushing at them and Wufei soon found himself hard pressed to defend them both. That was okay. Quatre could block their attacks with his hands as well as Wufei blocked with his swords. More than several guards had to go run to get their weapons again.

"Stop!"

Quatre let the voice take his attention, and he knew right away the voice that he had heard in his mind for so little time. A blade connected with his arm and he cried out, falling back. Several guards jumped at him, but a violet wall shielded him from them. The guards stopped then, in shock. A wall was surrounding Wufei as well, yet he attacked it just as fiercely as the guards outside it.

"Just stop Wufei."

Wufei did stop to hear his name spoken by a man he did not know. The enchanter nearly floated down the steps, his bulky robes hiding his feet. Duo did not stop when he reached the protective wall he had put up around Quatre. He walked right through it. His hands touched the wounded arm before he took Quatre's chin and lifted it, looking straight at his eyes for the first time.

"You look so much like them both."

Quatre's eyes widened in shock and the violet wall fell. "You- you know my parents?"

"Knew. There is much to tell you."

"Duo."

The guards instantly pointed at Duo as the king descended, not as gracefully, yet every bit as regally. "Why do you prevent my guards from doing what they were trained to do?"

"Because they attacked your most important ally at this point." Surprise filled the entire courtyard. "My King Darlian, this is Quatre Raberba Winner, heir to the Lands and Titles of his father and mother." Terror and wonder filled Quatre's face as he looked around in surprise. "He has run from his former king to offer his services and beg for your mercy."

The king looked at Quatre, who weakly nodded, one hand still on his bleeding arm. He cast his eyes over the boy and shook his head. "He looks just like her."

"I know. I think I can understand why Loquacity King would not tell him his heritage. How much easier it is make a follower out of a peasant than a lord."

It is well known that the faint that Quatre pulled at that point came not from loss of blood, but from shock. After all, it is not every day that a peasant finds he is the son of his lord.

"""

Heero slunk into the new enchanter's room, hoping he was not asleep. He was lucky. Blue eyes were watching the stars out of his window, him reclined in the bed. A bandage was prominently displayed around his arm where a guard had done his job.

Heero normally did not slink around strange people's rooms, but he had a job to do as well, yet he doubted his would be as dirty as the guard's job. The shadow slid through the darkness, silent as his race name.

The enchanter sat up suddenly, and Heero stood still. The boy looked around the room, his eyes wide and, Heero winced, glowing. "I can see you," the boy whispered, and Heero only watched him. "Come into the light."

"I do not care to."

"What are you here for, then?" the enchanter asked, moving into a more comfortable position on his bed, the light behind his eyes dimming.

"I have come to find your loyalty."

"If I am loyal to your king, I will not die, is that it?"

"You are perceptive for a child."

"I'm fifteen."

"Child."

The enchanter scowled. "Come into the light, or I will make a light."

The shadow shrugged and pulled himself into the light, making his unsheathed dagger obvious. The boy glanced at it, but did not linger on it. "Are you going to ask for my loyalty?"

"Yes."

"Will you ask, then?" the boy murmured, pulling his knees to his chest. "I'm finally getting tired, and I doubt you would appreciate me going to sleep on you."

"Are you loyal to Darlian?"

The boy thought silently, his eyes shaded by his bangs. "What is loyalty?"

"Following what the king commands, no matter what the cost. Not questioning his decisions."

The enchanter lifted his eyes. "But what about the king? Does he not have a part of why a person is loyal to him?"

The shadow was confused, but showed none of it on his face. "Maybe. He needs to give a person reason to be loyal."

"In that sense, then, no," the enchanter said plainly. "I am not loyal to Darlian. But!" He stiffened, holding out an arm to protect himself from the shadow's thrust, a dirty job, but what he was commanded. "In that sense, I have broken all ties to Treize. I have no loyalty to any land as of now."

The shadow was silent, before lowering his blade. "You wish for a reason from the king to be loyal to him."

"I cannot stand to have my trust broken again."

"You are intelligent for being raised on the streets." The boy winced, but smiled afterward.

"A mute can never speak, and only listens. In that way, he learns a lot," the enchanter murmured quietly. "You have your answer. Excuse me, but I feel sleep calling me." The boy slid under the covers of his bed.

Slowly, the shadow stepped back, fading into the Shadows to get back to the room he shared with Odin. This child was interesting to say the least. The Princesses had given him much knowledge. Heero sheathed his knife and started toward his patrol, intent on making sure others who had loyalty did not attempt harm to his king. That was his job. Whether he did it out of loyalty or not, he did not know, but he did it.

Maybe he could argue that idea later. Heero smirked in his mind, excited. This was a sparring match he had not participated in for a long while.

"""

"Here we are, Quatre," Duo called pleasantly from the lead horse. Quatre gripped the foreign guide ropes for the horse he rode and weakly tightened his grip on the horse's girth. The only reaction was a twitch of an ear. Quatre groaned and tried again. This time, the horse looked at him as if confused.

"Hup, there," a voice called and the horse jumped, and trotted up to catch up with Duo. Quatre bounced like a bag of flour on the horse and quickly reined it in, the horse flicking its ears confusedly. Duo chuckled at his fearful face and shook his head.

"I guess he was right."

"Of course I was," Wufei grumbled, riding up to Quatre's side. "He's never ridden before in his life. Why you put him on a horse that needs definite signals I will never know." Wufei gently soothed the horse and turned a glare to Duo.

"Just cause you saved our lives does not mean I trust you," Wufei snapped. Duo shrugged, smiling.

"That's fine with me. I just need to trust you. Are you nervous, Quatre?"

Quatre weakly smiled. "Sort of."

"What are you talking about?" Wufei muttered. "You're terrified."

Quatre looked at the dusky mane of the horse he rode. "I've never seen them before, Wufei. I'm scared. What if they don't like me?"

"Don't you worry about it at all," Duo said comfortingly. "I will tell you this right now, I've never seen a group of people so loving as these young women."

"Some not as young as they used to be," a guard mumbled under his breath before a sharp glare from three powerful people was shot at him. He fell silent in an instant after continuing with one last smart comment. "What? It's true. Twenty-nine might be too many, don't you think?"

"Twenty-nine, all an attempt to find him," Wufei murmured.

"May I ask who calls?"

A young boy stood calmly at a gate, and Quatre was visibly shocked. "It's so huge!" The walls were covered with vines, yet were carefully groomed to look beautiful. The gate itself was delicately carved from wood, looking like a living vine. Beyond the gate lay an open area, grassy and clean-cut. At the edge of the field stood a huge house, looking like it was carved out of a huge tree itself. "It's beautiful!"

"Tell the Lady Iria that it is the enchanter, sent by His Kingship, to introduce a special someone to her," Duo replied calmly, only smiling at Quatre's wide-eyed shock. The boy opened the gate and left it open, letting them close it themselves. The boy then disappeared, running like the wind for the front door to announce them.

"Welcome, Quatre, to the Winner ancestral land. This is what you are heir to."

Wufei's eyebrows raised at this statement. "Wow."

"That's right."

It took quite a while to cover the ground before the house, and Quatre found his fear rising as he drew closer. Before long, he found his horse's mane so much more interesting than the house as the house grew larger.

He heard Duo and a woman talking, yet he did not register much of it. He did not even realize that he was being spoken to until Duo entered his mind gently. 'Look up, Quatre, and see your older sister, Iria.'

Quatre obeyed slowly, his blue eyes meeting eyes that were wide with shock, and then disbelief, and then, surprisingly, love. "Quatre! Oh, Quatre! Our little brother has come home!" Quatre gratefully slid off the horse and did not hesitate to run into her arms. There was something in her voice, and in her eyes, that he could only respond to. Though he had never seen her before, he knew she was his sibling. His flesh and blood. His sister. His remaining family.

He soon found himself in her embrace, but only to be passed to another, who was another sibling just by feeling an aura he did not notice. In moments, he was surrounded by twenty-nine women, raging in age from sixteen to forty, all hugging him and crying. Somehow Wufei got pulled into the mix, women exclaiming about saving him and being there for him. Quatre could see this greatly embarrassed him, yet he did nothing to save Wufei.

Duo watched it all, definitely touched as he watched tears shed for a lost mother, lost sibling, and lost father, all pour out as they wept another time, for a found brother. There was a strong throb and he stared at Quatre carefully. There was a glow around him, growing stronger as he danced in the love his sisters showed him.

Interesting. The presence of his own flesh and blood intensified his power. So did the pain of learning of a death of a family member. Duo winced as he remembered the conversation about his father's death. Quatre had taken it rather quietly, but Duo could see the mounting power, growing and pulsing like the sea on the beach. Ever throbbing, ever withdrawing, ever moving. Sometimes the tide came in, and it seemed to be rising still. The Dragon Princesses had been generous. Too generous.

The Dragon Princesses were legendary beings from which every enchanter was given power. Yet, it was possible they had been real, and now their power resided in a mountain to the far north, the power in the mountain's stones flowing like a sea within those stones.

Would the tide ever go out? And when it did, how much power would it take with it? Or would it continue to grow until it overwhelmed him? Was it possible for it to continue coming in? Duo sighed as these questions raced about his mind. There was no way to answer that. It would mean experimentation, which meant tearing apart the reunited family. Surely they would understand. Surely they would let him leave, let him learn, let him be what he was meant to be.

A Binder. The most powerful kind of enchanter. Duo had seen his mind and the power within it when he had first taken Quatre's body, and it had enthralled him. Enchanted. Drew him like a beggar to market. Like a beggar in the market, he might be able to steal a smidgen of what was there, yet he knew it would do him no good.

There was a wall. That too he had seen, a wall cutting Quatre's power in half. Half of it was easily accessible to him, yet the other half was buried away. It was a strong wall, and only once had he ever been able to break that wall: when Quatre was so weak the wall had no defenses. The whole could be felt by sensitive enchanters, but only half could be used. Yet even then the half was a huge amount.

The only way to break the wall was to find what built it. Duo had touched it once, when the boy slept, and he had only felt fragments of memory, pain and fear. It was probably from a childhood experience. Yet what?

"""

(1) Just so that you know, yes, Wufei had some of the mental torture during this part. That is what is leaking the power out. That's why Quatre's so mad. I know, I didn't explain it well, but that's the best I can do without making it totally obvious. A mark of a good writer is being able to describe and not completely state everything out flat. (Or at least that's what I tell myself.)

My hand just stopped working. Darn swimming. It just started, and I'm horribly out of shape!!!

Teaser:

"""

A feeling of understanding touched Duo's mind and then Quatre's movements slowed again. The power was draining quicker and then, suddenly, it was gone. Duo jumped up, fear in every muscle in his body, until he felt the throb.

"""

**SIGH. NO ONE REVIEWS EXCEPT FOR FAIRREN!! Pout I know I had more people reading than just Fairren.**

__

I am done for now. Just for now. I will come back in a week.

'''Kay Kylo


	10. Broken Wall

I have a teacher who has a poster in his room that has something to the affect of, "We are the wall in our way." Hm. . . Definitely makes one think. CHAPTER NINE: BROKEN WALL.

So, I'm going away tomorrow. So, I decided to be nice and post early. Enjoy chapter nine folks! Next week might be late, okeyday?

****

Fairren: Okay, with your encouragement, I will post my next story. ;; I am afraid I tend to write very complex stories. AND FINALLY!!! Someone who understands the pain of swimming and kicking sets!! I hate butterfly as well, but my coach insists I am an IMer. I hate it even so. --;;;;

****

MissyIrene: Glad to know you like my story! I love a willing reviewer! I'm going to have around (thinking seriously. . .) four more chapters, and then, I've another story coming up as well!

****

ONE SMALL WARNING!!!! In this chapter, there is a very startling part of the story in which the reader finds out what happens to Quatre's mother. Just to warn you.

(Bursting at seams in annoyance) I have no claim to Gundam Wing. Take that!

"""

The best laptop I ever had was a cat.

Roberta Jacobson

"""

"So, you're officially an enchanter of the king of Perdition, huh?"

Quatre smirked at Wufei and stuck his tongue out at him. "No, not really. I'm an official enchanter in training. I'm not done training. Duo's teacher is willing to train me, I guess."

Wufei nodded and checked the bindings on his hands. Certain they were tight, he drew his sword and nodded at the sheathed katana beside the sword rack. "Come on, training time."

Quatre groaned and bound his own hands as Wufei had, putting an extra binding on each arm for the protection it might give him from bruises. He cautiously drew the sword and swung it experimentally. Its sharp edge glistened and Quatre winced. More than once he had gotten cut with a training sword. He took in a deep breath to steady himself and stepped forward to train with Wufei.

It started out easy. Wufei simply swung to warm him up, and then attacked in earnest, not yet using power, yet enough to bring sweat to Quatre's brow.

Quatre smelt it instantly and called up power to strengthen his block. A crack of power sounded as the swords met. Wufei caught his sword and held him long enough to show Quatre a smile. "Good, good. You're improving."

The next thing Wufei knew, his sword was flying through the air and he was defenseless. Quatre swung, and Wufei blocked with his hands as he had taught Quatre to. An especially powerful blow knocked the sword out of Quatre's hands and brought his own sword back to him.

The tables were turned. Yet Quatre did not need his sword as much. The first blow sent power scattering around the room with a large stench.

'What in the world?'

Quatre quickly sent a disapproving feeling to Duo before he turned his mind back to the fight. "Fight me, Wufei, or are you afraid you'll hurt me?"

He never felt such a powerful blow from his friend. His head hit the wall and it began to pound. Groaning, he looked up at an approaching Wufei. The man smirked at the teen and reached down a hand to help him up. "I think you forgot our first real fight."

Quatre grinned sheepishly and nodded humbly. "I forgot you are much better."

"So, you were the one who trained him." The pair looked into Duo's wide, violet-blue eyes, which were sparkling in glee. "I cannot believe this. You've taught him a lot."

"We've had several months."

"All the more impressive. He's a fast learner."

"Wufei's also a good teacher," Quatre interjected, earning himself a soft slap from a bashful Wufei. Quatre jokingly hit him back and once again, they were involved in a heavy fistfight.

A door opened and they paused, both still locked in position to attack again. The king's guard entered, a blank expression on his face. He gave each of them a surprised look and then shook his head. Quatre pulled away, a bashful look on his face while Wufei just chuckled. Trowa wrapped his hands and then weighed a practice sword in his hand.

He smirked and pointed at Wufei with it. "Spar." Wufei shook his head and pointed at Quatre.

"He needs the practice," Wufei answered, and Trowa merely nodded. Quatre slowly picked up his own sword and stood before the king's guard. The silent man jumped and promptly attacked with a high flip. Quatre ran out of the way and waited. The man landed and did not pause. He attacked immediately.

He was fast. Fast and powerful. His speed added a deadly touch to his attacks, and Quatre was hard pressed to block them all. Wufei and Duo just sat companionably near each other, watching the battle as the two warriors fought.

"He's tired," Wufei murmured, his eyes following the slowing motions of Quatre's feet and blocks. Duo nodded, and then, as unobtrusively as possible, he entered Quatre's mind. The power was draining fast before the wall, yet he found a rift in the wall. It was strange; it had opened once he had met his sisters. It was different. Somehow, his family had started a strange rift in the wall, and the more he spent with them, the larger the hole.

Duo gently prodded the wall and it throbbed with pain and fear.

He drew back to his mind and watched as Quatre's body slowed, the power attacks draining him more than protecting. Wufei was watching worriedly and Trowa did not let up.

'Quatre, just keep going, but listen to me.'

'I'm trying.'

'Your power is draining low. But behind that wall, you've got a reserve much larger than what you have to begin with. When you have almost hit the edge, put all your remaining power into the wall. Break it.'

'Will it work?'

'I don't know.'

A feeling of understanding touched him and then Quatre's movements slowed again. The power was draining quicker and then, suddenly, it was gone. Duo jumped up, fear in every muscle in his body, until he felt the throb.

It pulsed, gently, firmly, powerfully. Pushing, answering, rising, fighting, breaking. Trowa stopped at the sudden feeling of power and watched the doubled-over form of Quatre, wonder in his eyes. Quatre spun and attacked the air with a vicious kick. The effect was shattering. The kick let out a sound like a sonic boom and threw Trowa across the training hall, even though it did not touch him.

There had been several other pairs training in the hall, but when the king's guard flew past them, they all stopped and stared. Quatre smiled, wavering weakly. "Duo," he whispered, his eyes focused on the stunned face of Trowa across the hall. "It's gone . . . Wufei!" Quatre turned to run to his friend, but promptly collapsed.

Wufei answered with a speed pulled out by his power. With a soft smile, he lowered Quatre to the ground and felt his forehead for overheating. "He's fine," he whispered.

Duo watched the gentle movements of the tough-worded ex-guard. This boy had softened him, he guessed. Happily, he crossed the training hall and watched as the king's guard struggled to his feet. "You've definitely got an opponent worthy of fighting. And you helped break his wall." Trowa looked at him and then looked at the unconscious boy being treated by the dark-powered man.

"I know."

Duo watched, almost confused, as the guard walked calmly out of the training hall, a small look of triumph on his face. The door opened and Duo caught a glimpse of his king standing outside, watching Trowa's face. He smiled warmly and then the door closed behind Trowa.

"""

Quite some time passed, and to Duo, it passed quickly. The days were spent with training with Quatre under Helen's strict tutelage and watching Quatre train under Trowa and Wufei. By the time the night came, Quatre was dragging himself to his bed, often with the help of Wufei.

His naturally soft personality made him a favorite with the kitchen wenches immediately, once it was certain he was a friend and not an enemy of the king. There had actually been a rather funny episode with knives and angry kitchen wenches the first time Quatre had tried to enter the kitchen, but it was all straightened out now. (A/N: Angry kitchen wenches with knives! Run for your lives!!!)

But he was not just a favorite of the wenches. There were several guards that he became rather friendly with. To mention a couple, there was Trowa, whom he grew close to during his long training sessions. There was also Dorothy, the little-known guard to the princess. She was a dangerous warrior, yet was usually posted as a lady in the court. She was soft with him, but never showed much more than simply compassion.

Duo even suspected him of befriending Heero, the king's mysterious Night One. Few spoke of him, and when they did, it was in whispered tones. But in his usual night walks, Duo had seen Heero leave Quatre's room, often with a strange look on his face. Yet he remembered his promise to not let his mouth betray him, and did not ask Quatre about it.

Quatre was a powerful force to reckon with now, his strength more obvious now that the wall was gone. He rarely grew tired in a one-on-one battle when he had rest that morning. On the rare occasion of Helen being sick, Quatre got a morning of rest and by the afternoon, was a wrecking ball in the training room.

But to Duo, he seemed distant. Something was bothering him. He could see it in his eyes when he was finished annihilating his foes in the training hall. He could see it when Quatre stared out at the river with his eyes focused on the river's depths. He could see it even when Quatre gave up his power to give Wufei the strength to heal himself and who ever had been wounded in a fight.

Duo could do nothing, though, but watch and wait. He had tried to pry into Quatre's mind, but Quatre had only gently pushed him away. The power behind his push now made a very firm negative to his access.

Until that one evening. Rarely did Quatre ever enter his mind as the sun set, but this time, Quatre slowly approached his mind through their link, and Duo welcomed him willingly.

Quatre asked quietly and Duo opened his mind to him. He could feel Quatre sifting through his mind and memories, and Duo waited, wondering at the unique feel of examining that it brought about. Memories flashed past his mind, delving deeper and further, almost desperately. Duo sent a wave of calm at him and Quatre stopped, seeming to take a deep, mental breath. Then, a picture was brought to his mind.

'Who is this?'

Duo examined the picture and a smile crossed his physical body. 'That is Lady Catherine Winner, your mother.'

What he expected was a wave of shock, or a wave of understanding. What he did not expect was the wave of memory and fear and pain to flow over him. Duo sat his physical body up and reached out mentally, touching a lightly constructed wall around Quatre's mind.

'Quatre?'

'I know what made that wall.' The feeling of pain in his mental voice made Duo's eyes water. Slowly, the flash of memory that had raced over his mind came back, slower, making it obvious to his mind. Quatre showed him a piece of memory that had been locked within the wall, to be kept away from his mind ever again, yet it was back.

He could see Lady Catherine's face, beautiful even at her age. She was smiling down at him, as if he was a child in her arms. Sky moved above him, and then she moved down, as if off of a horse. The river was visible behind her and he simply watched. Suddenly, something startled her and she jumped.

There was a baby's cry of fear and a burst of power. The look of horror on Lady Catherine's face froze and then all went dark.

Duo's physical body was upon its feet in moments, running to Quatre's room. The young enchanter sat on his bed, tears staining his pale face. He looked up at Duo and sniffled weakly.

"I . . ." he murmured, sobs taking over him. Duo crawled onto the bed and carefully pulled Quatre into an embrace.

"You were a child," he answered encouragingly. Quatre shook his head, clinging to Duo's tunic.

"I killed her, Duo! I killed my own mother!"

"How were you to know?" Duo asked, rubbing Quatre's back soothingly. "You were frightened. Calm down, Quatre."

Quatre hiccuped and leaned into Duo's chest, sobbing and rubbing his wet face on Duo's shirt. "Well, that solves washing it," Duo tried, and Quatre snorted a laugh, leaving a sticky, gooey mess on Duo's shirt. Duo looked at the mess and Quatre blushed. "Never mind that."

"Sorry."

"It'll mend. But that solves one mystery," Duo said, still rubbing Quatre's back.

"What mystery?"

"Of what happened to your mother. She disappeared when pregnant with you, you know," Duo explained. "It broke your father's heart."

Quatre clung tighter to Duo and his shoulders stopped shaking. Suddenly, he looked up at the door and Duo followed his line of sight. Just as his eyes fell upon the door, Wufei burst through it, his face red and his eyes wide with fear.

"Are you all right, Quatre?"

Quatre nodded, sitting up and wiping his eyes. "I just made a mess," he said, chuckling lightly as he looked back at it. Duo shrugged and mussed Quatre's hair.

"Oh, Duo! I remembered something," Quatre said, his gaze falling on Wufei. "Wufei said he had seen my mother in the Loquacity court." Duo's eyes widened and he stood up.

"You did?"

"As a child. Why?"

Duo shook his head and sat down again. "She disappeared and Lord Winner suspected Loquacity of kidnapping her." Quatre's eyes were wide, and he was now looking at both of them with curiosity.

"Treize always told us that she had come looking for help," Wufei mentioned. "He said he opened up his court to her and she stayed as a guest."

"And Quatre was born there."

"Yes. She told only Treize the name of her baby: Quatre."

Duo took in a deep breath. "The same name his father insisted on naming him. I think this will forever remain a mystery."

Wufei nodded and then, both sat and looked at Quatre. "You're quite a piece of history," Duo muttered.

Wufei agreed and then, giving Quatre a tight embrace, they stayed beside him until he slept. And both left, all knowing a new piece of information. Information that might never fit into the puzzle.

"""

Treize looked out over his lands, farmlands with crops springing out of them. All it would need would be one month without rain and a scapegoat and the peasants would be mad. But that would be killing his own people, and would be very blatant.

He could not have that. Perdition had to attack first. Maybe no rain and then find someway to get them to attack first. No, that would also be too strong. He tilted his head and one of his servants rushed to his side.

"Yes, My Liege?"

"Get me that girl," Treize snapped, thinking into his plan deeper. The servant took in a deep breath and then stepped minutely closer.

"May I ask which?"

"That Naraku or something or other," Treize muttered, his mind further disappearing into his scheming. The servant coughed and Treize jumped out, his annoyance obvious in his eyes as he saw the servant was still there.

"Chang's girl?" Treize gave a regal sniff and nodded.

"She'd be good for this. Bring her up."

The servant nodded and walked backward, bowing deeply.

Treize glanced out at his country, sighing contentedly. He was like the Desert Trader Lord of old, having to choose between friendship and his people, and chose his people. So would he be, helping his people instead of his cousin, Darlian. So would he be. Only minutes had passed before the door opened again and he heard two footsteps enter his domain. "You called for me, Your Kingship?"

Treize stood and turned to look at the girl. She looked just as she had so few years ago, yet dead somehow. Her dark hair was pulled back into two pigtails, looking more like a tomboy than a lady. Her eyes were what made her seem dead. They were broken and without hope. Treize noted with a small spark of interest that he had had a part in the deadening of her. "Has it reached your ears yet that Chang has abandoned his king and taken with him a choice possession of the king?" The girl's eyes flashed.

"No, it had not. But then again, not much reaches one in the Dark Rooms."

Treize smirked. "I am willing to postpone your sentence and possibly minimize it if you do one simple thing." The girl nodded.

"What would that be?"

"Bring me Darlian's head."

The girl nodded. "Anything for you, My King."

"""

(Giggle) Angry kitchen wenches with knives. (Chuckle) What am I holding back for? That phrase just makes me laugh! (GUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!)

And poor Duo. He's got a mess to clean up. And about that "Desert Trader Lord of old" Treize was thinking about. It's an old legend of the Desert Traders. Basically, it's a story of a the Northern Desert Lord Zyen (dating from around 500 Before Records) who had to choose between his people and a friend he rescued from slavery, and chose originally his people. It nearly cost his friend his life, but Zyen realized that at the right time and rescued him and ended up destroying the slavers. I'm thinking about putting it into a story, like a novelized version of the shorthand legend, but it's just an idea as of now.

Teaser:

"""

But when the fear went down the link, he heard a snarl from the room before him. There was a small dark person, leaning over the very still form of the king. The person spun and Wufei's world and heart stopped.

"""

About next chapter: I want to stress how important Wufei and Nataku's relationship is to me. I have in my possession the Episode Zero manga, and I found their relationship really, really moving. So that is the relationship I play on, but unfortunately, it sort of turned sour in this fic. (Next one, it's ripe and sweet.) It's sort of like the Inuyasha/Kikyo relationship in that manga, if you know what it is.

I think that's it. Yeesh, I hate swimming. But I've gotta do it. Without it, I'm just a lump of lard sitting in this chair.

'''Kay Kylo


End file.
